Reno and Astro: A weekend
by Dan Rush
Summary: After his first fight with Atlas boy, Astro spends the weekend with Reno Takahashi at his apartment in the Ministry of Science.
1. Chapter 1

_**A Week-Reno-End**_

A Reno/Astro fan fiction

Preface: Astro's first meeting with Atlas becomes a weekend with Reno.

 **Friday**

 **2pm**

 **Ministry of Science, Downtown Metro City Japan**

"So...you're coming next month? What's the occasion?" Reno asked Abby as he sat at his work bench tinkering with a Shielding Ion encoder for a J.M.S.D.F. Radar array.

"A trade renewal conference between Mayori, Japan and South Korea. We want to negotiate a new co-operation pact for Cybernetic Reacher Units. Do you have anything planned next month?" Abby asked.

"If I'm lucky? No, but Doctor O'Shay always finds ways to keep me gainfully useful around here so..."

Suddenly the door to Reno's apartment sounded like it had been kicked in and Reno turned in his chair to see Abercrombie Finch and Alegio Higaldo coming into the room carrying someone between them...

"Reno! We need help!" Alegio yelped.

"Abby? I'll call you back..." Reno hung the phone up and gasped when he saw the boys were carrying Astro.

"Shoot! Put him right here!" Reno yelped as he cleaned off a section of a work table and helped the boys lay Astro down...

"Hey Astro...it's Reno...can you hear me?" Reno asked as he gave Astro a quick look over.

"I got his right arm." Alegio said as he pulled Astro's severed limb out of his book bag.

"Astro? Talk to me?" Reno said as he lightly patted Astro's face..."Oh man, he's screwed up...what happened?"

Abercrombie stood pursing his lips. "This jerk just jumped us. We were walking to the tree house and this red colored kid with blonde hair comes out of no where and starts a rash of trash with us! Next thing you know he's whaling on Astro and it's on."

"He really beat Astro up bad..." Alejio said shaking. "He said his name was Atlas. He called Astro a traitor and said he was going to make him an example."

Reno checked Astro's undamaged eye then gave him a light shaking..."Astro? Come on, answer up and let me know you're not seriously hurt?"

Astro looked back at Reno and smiled..."I bit him on the nose...got in some good shots."

"Yeah..."Reno replied. "You lost your arm."

"I didn't say I was perfect." Astro replied.

"He's not going to die is he?" Abercrombie asked as Reno went around his apartment grabbing up tools.

"Robots don't die unless their processor is destroyed but this guy did a number on you Astro." Reno said as he started examining Astro's body. "What did this robot look like again?"

Alejio replied. "Well he was a kid, about Astro's size, red skin, blonde or yellow hair and he was about as strong as Astro and man...he was absolutely ruthless. He even grabbed Kennedy and threw him so hard that he caused him to sprain his ankle."

"Then he broke open Astro's chest door...just ripped it open and pointed am arm cannon into it..."

Reno froze..."Arm cannon? This robot has arm cannons?"

"He has a big stupid mouth." Astro said weakly.

"He had enough to beat the snot out of you." Reno replied as he thumped a finger off Astro's forehead. "I'll worry about this other bot later...right now we need to fix you up so you can take him on again if you have too."

"I think today was enough fun." Astro snorted.

Reno looked back at the other two boys..."Guys? Relax. He's going to be ok. So did anyone hear anything rattling inside Astro when you carried him?"

"I always rattle." Astro said smirking. "I think he busted everything loose though. I'd give you a hand but Alejio stole it."

"Well...bad sense of humor still intact anyway." Reno said as he pulled Astro's torn up moon boots off and looked over the legs. "Shot through both engines...that's about 200 grand a piece for replacement."

"Put it on my Master Card." Astro giggled.

"This isn't funny bolt bucket." Reno snorted. "You're supposed to get away from fights if possible."

"Well he was kind of beyond the possible. Like fighting a cat." Astro replied. "Right guys?"

"He was very fast." Alejio chimed. "Not to mention, in my technical observation, very advanced. I was...well? I was sort of in awe."

"Sheesh...now I feel jilted." Astro huffed as Reno detached Astro's chest door.

"That's another 70 grand for the door." Reno said as he probed Astro's insides. "Good...the reactor casing's fine...but you're right Astro, he practically broke all the mountings with those punches of his and he dented your casing pretty good."

"What I don't understand is why he didn't blast into Astro's body when he had the chance?" Abercrombie said. "I mean he just looked Astro over when he was on top of em and then he stood up and left. He kept saying he was going to destroy Astro right in front of us."

Reno patted Astro's head. "Did he say anything?" He asked.

"If you don't change your ways with humans...next time you will die and I will hold your broken carcass for all the humans to cry over." Astro said. "He actually sounded like a stupid moron. Where did he get all these one liners from? A dumb Saturday Morning cartoon?"

Reno snickered. "You're one to blab there oh "Rocket Ranger" He detached one lower leg at a time from Astro's body and placed the damaged engines on another table. "I'll see if I can salvage any parts from those." He then returned to detach the lower half of Astro's body from the electro-magnetic locks that held it fast to the upper portion. Placing it on another table standing on the stubs of the upper legs.

"This is starting to gross me out." Abercrombie said with a puckered mouth.

"He's a robot Abercrombie?" Alejio said as he walked up to lean against the working table. "Just so you know, Ken has a wrenched ankle but he promises he'll tell his mom he got hurt playing soccer."

"Now hold on?" Reno replied frowning. "If that robot hurt Ken then he's a dangerous threat and the police have to be called, that's the law."

Astro reached out and took Reno's hand..."No...it was an accident. Atlas didn't "chuck" Ken, he pushed him aside to get at me. If he was really a threat? Ken would have been worse off. No, don't you call Inspector Towashi. Last thing we need is him...I can handle Atlas."

Reno shook his head. "I don't think we should ignore it Astro..."

"I'm tired..." Astro replied. "Can I go to bed?"

Reno looked at Abercrombie and Alejio. "You guys should go home, I got Astro, he's in good hands."

Alejio patted Astro on the shoulder..."Call us when you're back up ok?"

Astro nodded and closed his one eye as Reno used a USB attached control pad to "put him to sleep" actually shutting down a few systems that would mimic sleep yet allow Astro to remain aware...

"I'm downloading all his memories from today so I can get a look at this other robot." Reno said as he passed the two boys to get to his lap top. "You guys really can go you know? Astro's not in any danger so stop hanging around. I can't work with too many people flocking in my apartment."

Abercrombie looked around and smirked. "Looks like my room, a complete Titanic."

"I'll clean it when I get a chance." Reno replied. "Which is usually never." He tapped a few keys on his lap top and the first images of the belligerent robot popped up. "Wow...you were not kidding about looking powerful. He's got serious hate in his eyes."

Alejio pointed to the screen then to Astro as he lay on the table. "I'd say pound for pound they're about equally matched. Call me silly but they almost look the same."

"Maybe." Reno replied. "But impossible. Astro's unique, he's the only robot of his kind Tenma ever built."

"Then someone scoffed the plans." Alejio replied. "Same arm cannons, same body size, even the faces look alike if you took away the hair. If Atlas had whipped out cannons from his butt,we'd know for sure."

Reno sat back in his chair. "Well where this one comes from is not my worry right now. I've got at least three hours of work to get Astro back on his feet and I don't want to be still turning a wrench at 1 am if mister lobster here decides to go on a city wide rampage. So guys? Like I asked you? Go home?"

"Red Lobster." Abercrombie snickered. "We should call him that. Maybe he'll get so upset that Astro will have an advantage?" The bigger boy looked at the other two..."Just coming up with suggestions ok?"

Reno got up and urged the other two out the door..."Will you guys go already and let me work?"

 **7pm...**

Astro slowly opened his eyes to see Reno waving a hand held heat gun over his stomach..."Yawn..." "Hi." The boy bot said softly. "How long was I out of it?"

"Five hours." Reno replied as he placed the heat gun on a rolling tray table. "Come on...sit up."

Astro sat and looked himself over..."Hmmm...nice job again. How much did it cost?"

"You shouldn't worry over that." Reno replied waving a hand.

"Reno? How much did it cost?" Astro urged.

"Sigh"...300 grand." Reno replied. "Now look...don't beat yourself up over it ok? The ministry always covers your repairs."

Astro felt he'd personally let Doctor O'Shay down. He always did every time he ended up broke and the cause to him was so stupid...

Reno took him by the hands and held his arms out. "Come on pouty puss, you know the drill?" Reno commanded. "Shake your arms?"

Astro snorted. "This is so stupid. A diagnostic would be less trouble."

"Do you want me to smack you with a stun paddle?" Reno huffed. "Shake those arms you silly brat."

Astro shook his arms.

"Now wiggle the fingers?"

Astro wiggled his fingers.

"Kick the legs?"

Astro kicked his legs.

"Now...come off the table and walk around?"

Astro slipped off the table and walked.

"Now...skip around the apartment?"

Astro contorted his face. "What?"

"I said...skip around the apartment." Reno commanded. "What? You don't know how to skip?"

"This is silly." Astro snorted.

"Astro? You skip or you get paddled, which one?" Reno snarled.

"You can't spank me." Astro groaned. "I'll call C.P.S. On you dufus."

Reno snatched up an electrically charged paddle..."One?...Two?..."

Astro started to skip and hop around the apartment as Reno stood smirking at him...

"Hey Astro?" Reno asked the boy bot.

"Huh?" Astro replied as he skipped.

"Just curious? What would you be doing right now instead of skipping around like a little girl?" Reno laughed and cowarded as Astro turned and slapped him off the back...

"JERK! UGH! I hate you sometimes Reno!" The boy bot snapped. "I feel miserable and you make fun of me!"

"Hey...hey...calm down Astro..." Reno gestured. "I'm sorry, I was trying to lighten you up."

Astro stood with his arms crossed. "What did I do to that Atlas? He hates the whole world. I tried to talk to him Reno and he called me some of the worst things I've ever been called."

"I know..." Reno replied as he rubbed Astro's shoulders. "And you're not a single one of them you hear me? Obviously this bot's got a serious grudge going on and he's looking for outlets to take it too and you just happen to be on his menu."

"Sigh"...Astro slackened as he felt Reno's hand..."And you're nothing of what he said about humans...I got so angry because every time he opened his stupid trap, I felt he was insulting you."

Reno turned Astro around and wrapped his arms around him..."Hmph...bring the creep over and I'll show him how terrible I can be. Look...I have the weekend totally free, why don't you spend it here? We haven't had time together in like months and I need to deflate from work. I'll call the Doctor and let him know you're staying. How about it?"

Astro gave Reno a tight hug back..."I like it a lot." He said as he snuggled Reno's chest. "Hey?! Have you eaten yet?" Astro asked smiling.

"No." Reno replied shaking his head.

"Let me cook for you?" Astro begged. "Please? I'll cook anything you want, just ask."

"You don't have too." Reno replied.

"Yes...I do have to." Astro snorted. "You have a very unhealthy diet to start with anyway. Do you want to die by 18 years old of heart failure? You have a pathetic junk food diet Reno, how do you stay skinny as a stick?"

"Keeping up with your plastic butt." Reno snickered back.

Astro snatched the boy engineer off his feet and carried him to a sofa chair. "Then my plastic butt is going to spoil you. No more touching tools tonight." Astro dropped Reno in the chair and pushed his finger into the teen's nose. "Now? I'm gonna cook and you are going to sit and behave yourself or?... I'll introduce you to a duck tape strait jacket."

Astro stood back tapping his head as he searched the internet for ideas..."Ah! This one looks good."

"What are you gonna make?" Reno asked.

"Nunya Biz Nooz bento." Astro snorted back. "Stay in that chair. What do you want to drink?"

"Soda I guess." Reno replied.

"How about water?" Astro said as he walked to the kitchen and opened the fridge..."Wow! Actual food! I'm so shocked!" The boy bot yelped as he started pulling food from the fridge and cabinets. "Don't you drink water? Red Bull? Are you trying to burn holes in yourself or what?"

"Do you have to be so critical?" Reno snorted.

Astro placed a cup in Reno's hand, poured some water and squeezed a lemon. "There...you don't need stupid Red Bull."

Reno turned in his chair to watch Astro prepare dinner. "You know I'm not very spice tolerant?"

"I promise I'm not making fire chili." Astro replied. "You'll like it...my cooking skills have advanced a lot in a month."

"You're not listening to Zoran?" Reno snickered.

"I'll tell her what you said and you can deal with the pocket rage." Astro replied waving a knife. "Actually? Zoran's doing fantastic in Kindergarten cooking class. She made Yonginiko with a sweet mint sauce and the Principle invited her to cook for his daughter's wedding."

"She must have been zooming up ten miles after that." Reno said smiling.

"I haven't heard the end of it." Astro said as he ran a mixer. "Come to think of it? You need to start cooking yourself instead of eating processed garbage. How else are you going to attract a girl friend?"

"What is it with you wanting to play " " for me all the time?" Reno asked as Astro went between making dinner and cleaning dishes...

"Is there something wrong with me wanting my "best-us friend" to be happy?" Astro asked.

"I'll find a girl when I'm ready." Reno said pursing his lips. "When I have the time. Right now my work is more important as is getting accepted to a University."

"Like no one would dare not accept you." Astro said frowning. "And if they did? I can be a little persuasive."

"I want no one's help." Reno said waving a hand. "I have to do all this on my own. It's why my robot parents brought me up the way they did."

With the food cooking and the dishes done, Astro walked into the living room and sat on the couch. "How are they any way? It's been a while."

"They're in California doing a benefit performance in San Diego at the Children's hospital there. Jelly Bean called me last night, they're all fine. There was something the Doc and I were talking about yesterday though...it might be a little sensitive for you to think about." Reno said as he turned on the television.

"Sensitive?" Astro asked as he walked to the kitchen to check on the food.

"Well...the Doc is getting up in age you know and he's considering retirement in a few years. We were talking that you and Zoran need a more natural and stable home life so...what would you think about having parents?" Reno asked.

"Huh? A Mom and Dad?" Astro replied.

"Yeah..." Reno said as he walked over to the kitchen. "Me and the Doc would build them and you and Zoran would tell us what you want. Sort of like that old movie "The Electric Grandma"

"With Ed Herman." Astro replied. "That would be Dad...no wait...I have a Dad already."

"Tenma is anything but your father." Reno snorted. "How can you even think he's your father after all the ways he abused you?"

"I still love him." Astro replied. "He made me, he gave me...well...can't exactly call programming "life" but...well, I'm beholden to him no matter how mean he was. How would he feel if I just suddenly introduced "Dad"..."Hey Dad? This is my Dad? It would be like...bizaro...awkward...as if I betrayed him."

Reno shook his head. "You make everything so complex."

"Lady Gaga." Astro said smiling.

"What about her?" Reno asked.

"Mom." Astro said with a wider smile.

"No! You are sick! You are screw loose sick in the stupid head!" Reno snapped. "I'm not putting a freak show in a robot body."

"Geee...I thought it way me and my Sister's choice?" Astro groaned.

"I didn't say choice were to be insane." Reno snorted. "That's a great combination? Ed Herman and Lady Gaga."

"It would provide for...an exotic and interesting home life?" Astro snickered as he went to the oven range and started pulling food off and out. "Besides...Zoran is a Gaga-phile and after she got to meet her personally? I know she would chose Gaga as our Mom. In reality out of costume and show, she's very nice and very smart."

"I was hoping you'd consider more "conservative" kinds of parents." Reno said as Astro prepared him a plate of food.

"I want our house to be happy and exciting Reno...not a set from Fox News." Astro snorted as he put a plate before Reno and went to the fridge for a can of STP motor oil. "So...this is...Yakatobaniko... soba noodles...strips of baked Salmon with maple glaze...white rice and steamed cucumbers."

Astro watched as Reno took the first bite and his face reflected a sudden pleasantness... "Oh...my...gawd..."

"Well?" Astro begged. "Is it good?"

Reno bobbed his head..."Astro? How? How did you get it like this? This is scratch isn't it? You didn't even look up a recipe did you?"

"No." Astro replied. "I told you my cooking skills have improved."

"Improved?" Reno said waving a hand..."Improved nothing! This is perfect! Everything's different but the taste and the spices are just...oh my gawd...you need to write a cook book!"

"You think so?" Astro asked.

"Yeah I think so! Tell me you can make a desert too?" Reno begged.

"Oh...you have to pull my leg don't you?" Astro giggled as he walked to the fridge and pulled out a classic ice cream glass..."Tadah! Feast the eyes on the glorious gooy-ness. I call it "Astro seven steps to sugary hell." or "Chocolate Iceberg collision." or...whatever name you can give it if you survive half a scoop of it."

Reno shook his head. "You never cease to surprise me Astro."

"It's an art form." Astro replied. Suddenly the television caught his attention and he ran to a slide before the monitor...

"Oh guess what?" The boy bot huffed.

"Is it that Atlas brat?" Reno asked.

"Who else?" Astro snorted as he ran to open the picture window in Reno's apartment. "Looks like he did something at Tokugawa's factory complex. You enjoy your dinner and I'll be right back."

As Astro hopped onto the window sill, Reno ran up and grabbed his hand. "No stupid heroics. If you can avoid a fight with him? Avoid it?"

Astro nodded back and jumped into flight, vanishing in a blur of blue light into the distance towards the Industrial district.

 **End of part 1**


	2. Chapter 2

_**A Week-Reno-End**_

A Reno/Astro fan fiction

Preface: Astro's first meeting with Atlas becomes a weekend with Reno.

 **Part 2**

 **Tokugawa Industrial Park**

 **9:30pm Friday**

Astro arrived at the industrial park only to stop and do a double take at a radio tower. A large stretch limo was ballanced precariously on the top of the tower spire and Astro gingerly took it off and flew to the front of the Tokugawa Headquarters to set it down before the door guard...

"Guess someone couldn't find a parking space?" Astro said. "Ummm...are the police here?"

"In the back of the building." The guard gestured. "Too late though. That robot's gone."

Astro tilted his head. "Why are your arms behind your back?"

The man turned around to show that an assault rifle had been bent around his wrists. "That kid robot had a seriously foul mouth."

"Yeah..." Astro replied as he untwisted the rifle and dropped it on the ground. "I kinda noticed."

Astro took off and topped the headquarters building only to come face to face with a screaming red haired teenager dangling from a flag pole...

"I'LL KILL THAT LITTLE *&^% ! I'LL CRUSH HIM LIKE A *&^% BEER CAN!"

"Woe, woe!" Astro said as he stopped to a hover. "Sensitive ears here please?"

"Where the hell were you?!" Daichi Tokugawa snapped. "Some hero you are...you should have been here to stop that little bastard!"

Astro snorted back. "I'm not a full time paid superhero you know? I do go to school?"

"I don't care where you go, you little shit!" Daichi snapped. "You're useless as always."

Astro snapped back. "Then you can hang here all night you stupid dumb ass!"

Daichi begged as Astro started to fly off..."Wait! Wait Astro! I'm sorry...I'm really sorry! I'm upset ok? Cheesh that little piece of scrap threw my hover bike into the damn river."

Astro freed Daichi's stretched underwear from the pole and flew him to the ground. "Good! Maybe you'll stay away from the Bozo bikers for once? Man...Your Dad's a little upset huh?"

"Define upset?" Daichi replied as he struggled to free his underwear from his butt.

"Did he hurt you?" Astro asked as he pointed.

"Only my pride." Daichi snorted. "Oops...better duck."

"YOU! YOU LITTLE WORTHLESS PILE OF PLASTIC AND BOLTS!" Big Tokugawa yelled as he stomped towards Astro.

"What is it tonight with all the hate?" Astro huffed. "I'm sorry I didn't come rushing over here Mister Tokugawa...you're not the only person in Metro City remember?"

"That's no excuse!" Tokugawa boomed out. "Look at what that terrorist did to my facilities?! Who is he? Is he a friend of yours?"

"Friend?" Astro replied. "Well not likely."

A police officer came walking up behind Tokugawa. "Evening Astro."

"Hi Sargent Deutadi." Astro replied with a smile. "So what did Atlas do?"

"Atlas?" Tokugawa huffed. "So you do know who this little red bastard is?"

"Kinda? Our first meeting was mostly him swearing, calling me a prostitute, beating my brains against a tree...you know? Assault? He doesn't play well with others."

"Well he didn't play here at all Astro." Deutadi replied as he took Astro by a shoulder and walked him around..."He destroyed one old factory building, a few vehicles, some plant equipment, threw a hover bike into the river and performed numerous acts of vandalism...such as spray painting that on the headquarters building...

Astro looked up to see the paint graffiti all over the facade..."TOKUGAWA IS A SLAVE DRIVING BITCH! ROBOTS STRIKE BACK! BANKRUPT THE TYRANT!"

"Wow..." Astro said as he tilted his head. "He has a way with words, I'll give him that."

"I want YOU to give him to ME in pieces! I'll have you know I am a big donor and grant supplier to the Ministry and I expect support from you against this industrial terrorist!" Tokugawa raged.

"Stop spitting on me please?" Astro replied. "You realize I can't do anything until the police formally request the ministry or deputize me? And for that to happen, there has to be felony level charges involved..."

"What about assault?" Daichi huffed, "The little bastard assaulted me."

Astro giggled..."Wedgies and flagpole mounting is not considered a felony."

Astro gestured to the destroyed building..."Mister Tokugawa? You've been planning to bring that building down for six months? Looks like Atlas just expedited the process."

"He destroyed my property!" Tokugawa snapped.

"Condemned property." Astro replied. "At worse, that's just a mister-meaner offense for not filing a permit."

Astro flew up to the graffiti and came back with his hand covered in colored powder. "Spray chalk? Can't get a felony for that, no damage involved."

"Why you little smart ass!" Tokugawa snapped. "You're just finding a way not to do anything!"

"I'm obeying the law Mister Tokugawa?" Astro replied. "Which on occasion you seem to like to skirt if you want to start making a list?" The boy bot snickered as he flew into the other factory and came out shaking his head...

"Nothing's destroyed in the factory." Astro said scratching his head.

"What are you talking about?" Daichi huffed. "We've lost major equipment and our vehicles!"

"All he did was dissemble them. All the parts and nuts and screws and bolts are there for each piece of equipment. Your robots could have it all back together by noon and you'll probably lose a day in working costs? But even that's not a felony charge." Astro said to Deutadi. "He knows what he's doing, I'll give him that."

Tokugawa snapped in Astro's face. "You think you're so smart don't you? You're defending that little creep. You robots are all alike."

"Some of you humans are the same when it comes to us robots." Astro snorted back. "Maybe Atlas is trying to tell you something? I'm sorry Mister Tokugawa but I can't do anything if there's no felony charges, that's the law."

Daichi tapped Astro on the back. "Can you at least get my bike out of the river?"

"If you promise me you'll quit being with those dirt bag Bozo bikers." Astro huffed. "Cheese Daichi, what good are those goons? You're like ten times smarter than they are?"

"If I want to hang with bikers, then I'll hang with them." Daichi huffed. "You're not my mother Astro."

Astro turned to Tokugawa. "I'm not your mother...but your Dad needs to be a better father." Then he flew into the river and brought the hover bike back...

"I think it'll be ok after it dries and you re-lube it." Astro said. "I could come over tomorrow and help you out?"

"If you want too." Daichi replied. Astro saw the not so happy look in Big Tokugawa's eyes at the thought of him hanging with his son.

"Sargent Deutadi?" Astro asked. "Can you tell the Inspector of what I found? At best? He could probably start a juvie record on Atlas."

"Juvie?" Daichi asked.

"Well yeah..." Astro replied. "Technically speaking Atlas is probably considered a juvenile legally under the Robot Rights Act, me and him are about the same age I think so...yeah he has a juvie record with all these stupid pranks. And I thought he was just a stupid foul mouth dufus."

Deutadi made notes in his notebook. "I can reach you at the usual number right?"

"Uh huh." Astro replied. "I'll be with my friend Reno at the Ministry all week end. Call me if Atlas does something else ok?"

Astro flew off back towards the city.

 **Reno's Apartment**

 **10:30pm Friday**

Astro flew in through the picture window just as Reno emerged from the bathroom after taking a shower. "Everything ok?" He asked as Astro sat pulling off his moon boots...

"It was Atlas all right." Astro said as he sat playing with his toes. "Big Tokugawa called me all kinds of swear words and Atlas threw Daichi up on a flagpole by his BVD's."

"Serves him right." Reno snickered. "So what did Atlas do?"

"Nothing close to being criminal." Astro said as he walked into the bathroom and pulled a towel from a rack. "Oh...he spray painted "Tokugawa's a bitch!" on the face of the headquarters building in spray chalk, boy was that fat jerk angry."

"You seem sympathetic." Reno replied. "So...what's with this Atlas? Earlier you sounded like he was some dire threat to the city."

Astro slipped into the shower and started to bath..."I dunno? It's strange...he took apart all these machines and trucks and laid them on the floor of the factory...not one piece missing. He demolished a condemned building. He's not acting anything like when he beat me up today at all."

Reno sat on the toilet. "Maybe it's all a trick to confuse people? Get them to be sympathetic or lower their defenses so he can really do some damage?"

Astro came out of the shower and stood toweling himself off. "Did you enjoy dinner?" He asked Reno.

"Enjoy or cry?" Reno replied. "It was all wonderful. Thanks. Oh?...here's some PJ's for you."

Astro looked at the PJ's and giggled. "Kimba PJ's? "giggles" What am I like 2?"

"Do you want me to fix the sofa bed or would you rather sleep in my bed?" Reno asked.

"The sofa's fine." Astro replied. "So what about tomorrow? I promised Daichi I would go over his house and help him fix his hover bike."

Reno smiled back. "I want to sleep in late. You up for breakfast? I'll cook for us."

"Sure." Astro replied as he stood while watching Reno prepare the sofa bed. "We could go bum around the Ginza after I get back from Daichi's or call Ken and the rest and take the Captain up for an air sail?"

"That's cool." Reno replied. "Come on...get in and I'll tuck you in."

Astro smirked. "You don't need too."

"Shut up?" Reno replied as he pulled the covers back and put them back over Astro as he got in the bed. Reno took a hand and held it on his lap...

"Do I ever tell you enough of how much you mean to me?" Reno asked softly.

"If you get me crying, we'll have to wring out the bed." Astro replied smirking. "I think I know enough."

Reno bent lower and hugged Astro tight..."Reno? Don't get crying or it's gonna be a mess."

"I want you to avoid that Atlas as much as you can...promise me." Reno said worried. "Damn it Astro, he's powerful enough to rip you to pieces, don't provoke him."

Astro sighed..."I'm not a China doll Reno...sheesh, a little confidence maybe?"

Reno pulled back a bit to wipe his eyes and rub a hand over Astro's cheek..."You saved my family and you're like my little brother...I got a right to worry ok?"

Astro gave Reno a light kiss on the forehead. "You don't have those good working hands to keep me on a shelf...you're always on my mind when I do anything so don't go to pieces ok?"

Reno held Astro's hand as he walked to his bedroom until he let it drop away. "Reno?"

Reno turned around still wiping his eyes..."Yeah?"

"If I get this bed soaked because you got me crying? I'm gonna flood your bedroom dufus." Astro snickered.

"Giggles"..."I'll wear my swim trunks." Reno replied smiling. "Night Astro."

"Night Reno." Astro replied as he reached for the room light controls and turned the lights off.

 **Reno's Apartment**

 **1:30am Saturday**

Astro was sleeping until something suddenly clamped over his mouth and jolted him awake! A weight was pressuring down on his chest and he opened his eyes to see a red colored face glaring back at him...

"Uh, Uh!" The red colored boy bot said as he waved a finger in Astro's face. "Make a sound and I'll turn this apartment into a funeral oven...understand?"

Astro looked towards Reno's room then back at Atlas as he also looked..."Don't worry, I'm not here for your friend and if you behave yourself, he won't get hurt."

Atlas slowly got off the bed but kept his hand firmly clamped over Astro's mouth. "Come on puppy dog? Get up?"

Atlas led Astro into the kitchen and looked in the fridge..."Chocolate milk...nice."

Atlas pulled out a glass and a bowl and poured the milk..."Now I'll drink from the glass and you'll drink from the bowl on the floor like every good little dog who serves their human masters does."

Astro glared at Atlas as he sat on the floor and pushed the bowl around..."You're sure pissy when you wake up huh? You'll do it if you don't want to see this place go up like a blow torch."

"You're a jerk." Astro snorted back. "What's got you so hate filled?"

"Hey..." Atlas commanded. "Little bitch dogs don't speak, they get on their hands and knees and lick their milk."

Astro crossed his arms and scowled..."You can go fly into a rock."

"Feisty...I like that." Atlas snorted as he drank his milk. "Why do you serve these flesh bags? Why do you put up with all the things they do to our kind? And don't give me the "they made us" garbage. We don't owe these pieces of crap anything."

Astro stood up defiant. He snatched the bowl off the floor and drank it. "You wanna fight? Then shut your stupid mouth, follow me out the window and let's fight. You got a good sucker punch on me once Atlas, it's not going to happen twice."

Atlas stood up..."I don't want to fight you stupid." He said as he started walking around Astro. "I would rather have you as an ally to protect our brothers and sisters against these sick flesh bags. What do you see in them? They rot the earth, they build terrible weapons, they stink up the air and if they're not restrained 24 hours a day? Sooner or later they'll destroy this world and us with it. They don't deserve all the freedoms they have...flash bags should be thrown in cages so they can't kill everything they touch."

Astro huffed back. "That's the words of a Hitler. You can kiss a screwdriver if you think I'd even agree with you."

Atlas smacked Astro in the face and caught Astro again over the mouth when he tried to punch back... "Uh, uh...unlike you softy? I have the capacity to kill humans and I swear the first human I'll kill is your friend in that room...don't push me."

Astro slackened..."You want to kill something? Then destroy me. I'm right here, I won't fight you. Just don't hurt Reno...please?"

Atlas laughed softly..."Oh...what the hell? You're just funny...what a weakling...you are a weak little soupy simp...the humans own your little bitch ass obviously because you'd just roll over and throw yourself away for a flesh bag piece of beef jerky. You make me sick."

Atlas poked Astro in the chest..."I have no intention of destroying you...yet. But you need to make up your mind as to where your allegiance is. You got time to change your path there Astro but if you intend to serve these dirty humans? Then I'm going to destroy you and I can't wait to see the face of your favorite human as I chuck your wrecked carcass from the top of this building."

Atlas patted Astro's cheek..."Thanks for the chocolate milk there...puppy dog."He then looked at the pajamas Astro was wearing and shook his head. "They even dress you like a weak little pussy? Why I'm even bothering to let you live is beyond me...see you later pussy bot."

Atlas flew out through the picture window as Reno came stumbling out of his room with a plasma rifle in his hands..."Son of a bitch!"

"Woe! Woe! He's already gone!" Astro yelped. "He's gone Reno..."

"Bastard..." Reno snapped. "Why didn't you get me up?"

"He was threatening to kill you." Astro replied. "He raided your fridge and kinda wasted your chocolate milk."

Reno relaxed and cocked his head. "He came here? To drink chocolate milk?"

"Well he wanted me to drink it from a bowl like a dog...kinda strange, I think he's a little perverted and super dangerous." Astro said as he walked to the kitchen to clean it up.

"What did he say to you?" Reno asked.

"He insulted the PJ's, claimed I'm a traitor, human's should be in cages, called me a pussy...basically he's got a big grudge and I'm his beating rug." Astro said as he sat in a chair. "But...he doesn't want to destroy me...not yet. I think he's hoping I'll turn on humans and become a side kick or something."

Reno leaned on the kitchen counter. "The grudge I understand. And he didn't do anything while he was here? That was it?"

"He had plenty of chances to attack me and he didn't." Astro replied. "I can guess two things already about him. Humans have seriously wronged him and he's very lonely."

Reno took out his cell phone. "I'm calling the cops."

Astro took the phone and waved it..."No...you won't."

"Astro? He's dangerous. He's un-stable, un-predictable and dangerous." Reno warned.

"You're not calling Towashi." Astro replied. "Don't make things worse by dragging that racist into all this. The last thing I need is Towashi "Inspector Gadgeting" this mess. I'll handle Atlas, don't worry."

Reno snorted back. "Bastard."

"Reno? Go back to bed. I'll stay up the rest of the night in case he decides to come back." Astro said as he poured a glass of chocolate milk.

"Astro?" Reno worried.

"Reno? Go to bed or I'll get some rope and tie you up in bed and remember...I am good with knots?" Astro snickered.

Reno sighed and smiled. "I forgot that you really don't need to sleep."

Astro winked an eye. "Don't bet on it. I probably won't last an hour. Relax, he's not coming back tonight."

 **End of Part 2**


	3. Chapter 3

_**A Week-Reno-End**_

A Reno/Astro fan fiction

Preface: Astro's first meeting with Atlas becomes a weekend with Reno.

 **Part 3**

 **Old Nissan Car factory**

 **2:30 am Saturday morning**

Atlas popped through the trap door panel of his hide-a-way to find Bender Rodreguez still awake on the couch...

"So tell me the glorious gory details? Did you turn that little treasonous weasel into a crushed soda can or did you hang him like a hood ornament? There's nothing on the tube yet." Bender snorted as he puffed on a big cigar. "Come on kid, tell me what happened?"

"Nothing happened." Atlas replied.

"Nothing?! Are you kidding me? You didn't do anything?" Bender complained. "What gives? I thought you were going to make an example of that meatbag kissing smuck?"

Atlas flopped onto the couch. "I'll chose my own time thank you very much? I don't want to destroy him...not at the moment...he's better being an ally instead of a rival."

"You are not going to turn that little leash wearing mutt against the humans Atlas. I know the type and that kid is six sheets to a teddy bear in penny loafers. The only way you're going to put the fear into the meat bags is to deep six their little toy. Maybe you lack the stuff to do it?" Bender poked a finger into Atlas's chest and quickly found himself locked up on the floor in a wrestling hold...

"Now...if you want to keep shooting off your stupid mouth there Bender? I hope you enjoy being a kickball for my feet? I'm warning you...don't...insult...me...again...get it?" Atlas moved off and sat back down...

"Stop your huffing...learn some patience?" Atlas said as he waved an arm. "Besides? You work for humans and I don't see you doing anything for our kind at all...unless it favors you."

Bender gestured back. "That's being totally unfair Atlas. I head the Union of Bending robots remember?"

"Oh wow...what? Six of you? How powerful." Atlas snickered. "What do you guys fight for? Card playing space on the weekends?"

"Bah...what do you know you little rodent." Bender snorted. "Any way...what's your next move?"

"I dunno yet." Atlas replied. "I'm waiting to see what Tokugawa's gonna do. Perhaps I need to give him a worse lesson than the last one?"

 **Reno's apartment**

 **9:00am Saturday morning**

Reno shook Astro by the shoulder and got a swat in return..."Go way...lemme sleep."

"You'll miss breakfast?" Reno said as he sat on the sofa bed.

"Mmmff...wake me when it's done?" Astro replied as he rolled over. "I'm still tired."

"Yeah right you energizer rabbit." Reno replied as he bopped Astro off the head and went to the kitchen. A few minutes later, Astro trudged up to sit at the kitchen bar...

"Stupid Atlas." Astro snorted. "Maybe we should leave the storm shutters down over the window from now on?"

"Like that's going to stop him?" Reno replied as he pulled food from his fridge. "How bout ham, eggs and fish?"

"Sounds good." Astro replied as he sat playing around with a fork. "Maybe I should push a peace offering to him? Invite him to dinner or something?"

"I doubt seriously that he's the dating type." Reno replied as he worked over the range.

"Very funny." Astro snorted. "If he's been wronged by humans then trying to show him I care about it might calm him down."

"Or make him more angry?" Reno said as he checked on the fish in the oven. "Don't engage him unless you absolutely can't."

"If I avoid him Reno, things could get much worse. He says he has no checks against hurting humans." Astro said as he played with balancing a fork on a finger. "If I try to avoid him, he might go after anyone just to sucker me into a fight."

Reno prepared a plate and put it before Astro..."You still going to see Daichi today?"

"I made a promise." Astro replied. "There's another one I'm trying to steer out of trouble."

"You really need to stop trying to fix everyone's problems." Reno said as he sat with his food. "Towashi's sort of right. If we allowed Robots to wipe our butts all the time? We humans will get fat and soft. Sometimes you have to sit back and let us stumble on our own."

Astro chewed on his fish..."But you know we robots are drawn to certain humans? You for one, the tree house gang for others, Daichi Tokugawa. He's not the "punk" people make him out to be and I guess I just have a heart to wanna help him keep strait because his Dad's such a jerk."

"In other words." Reno replied. "You need to keep gainfully busy atop everything else you do like school, grant projects, being a big brother to Zoran and dealing with Atlas. I think you have too much on your plate already."

Astro smiled as he pushed his breakfast plate away..."Didn't have enough. That was good." Astro stood up. "I'm gonna get dressed and go see Daichi. I'll be back around 2pm or so and then we can get the other guys and bum the mall for a few hours."

"That's cool." Reno replied. "Be careful ok? Don't let that jerk ambush you."

Astro walked into the bathroom, put on some clothes Reno had handy and his moon boots and walked to the picture window. "It's nice today. Maybe we should skip the mall and go sky sailing?"

"Whatever floats the boat." Reno replied. "I'll be here doing the usual."

Astro hopped on the window ledge and cycled his interior radio to his favorite station...FM 98.6 WCOZ Metro City with D.J. Dale Doorman...

"Maxwell Jump! Go ahead and jump!" Astro reacted to the sound of Van Halen by closing his eyes, tapping his foot and snapping his fingers for a moment before he threw himself into a corkscrew dive off the Ministry building...

"BOOM!" He yelped out as he lit his rocket legs and pulled out of the dive to fly up the side of another building, his stomach only a half inch from the facade as he flipped over the top, ran across the roof and launched himself again into the air...

"YEEHAW!" The boy bot screamed out as he dropped onto the thick glass tube of the elevated city highway, ran over it waving to the cars below his feet then slid off the side and back into the air!

A chime on his radio caused him to come to a stopping hover..."Yeah?"

"What are you doing?" Reno's voice sounded.

"Just testing out the repairs." Astro replied.

"Yeah right? Stop being silly." Reno snorted. "You forget I can see what you're doing?"

Astro giggled..."I just had to cut up a little bit." The boy bot said as he cruised along at a slow speed. "Everything's working great." Astro then smiled and lit the burners on his legs!

"Please tell me you are NOT zipping around the city on burners?!" Reno warned.

"Me? Oh no...that's an F-14! It's right here, trust me!" Astro giggled.

"I'm not breaking you out of jail if you get busted by the police for acting crazy Astro!" Reno huffed.

"Oh don't get all pissy." Astro replied as he slid to a stop on a roof. "Man this is awesome! It's warm as toast, the suns out and I'm...feeling great!"

Astro launched himself again off a building and free fell almost to the street before lighting his legs up again and slowly coming to rest on the sidewalk downtown.

"Ok...are you done with your little airshow now?" Reno asked.

"Yeah." Astro replied. "You can change your shorts now." He hopped on a bus and took a seat. "When can I have a little fun?" Astro asked in quiet mode on his radio.

"Oh...when you got a good six figure job that keeps pace with all your maintenance needs." Reno replied. "And there's no excuse for being irresponsible. Atlas can do that all he wants, not you."

"Gee ok Dad..." Astro huffed. "Wave that belt. I'm just kidding Reno...I know I have to be responsible because fooling around could cost the ministry."

"Hey...I'm not saying that an occasional day of flying around and enjoying yourself is forbidden. You could fly to Daichi's house..."

Suddenly a man, around 18 or 19, jumped out of his seat and pulled a pistol from his jacket..."Hey driver! Stop this fricken bus right now!"

"Oh wow!" Astro yelped into his radio.

"What?" Reno asked.

"There's a Gaigeen on the bus and he just pulled a gun on everyone." Astro said as he watched the punk walked up and down the isle...

"EMPTY YOUR DAMN POCKETS!" The man screamed. "EMPTY EM NOW OR I'LL SPLATTER SOME OF YOU OVER THE DAMN WINDOWS!"

Astro switched his radio to the police frequency..."Sargent Deutadi? You still at work?"

"I have another hour Astro. What's up?" Deutadi asked.

"Number 27 bus on the Metro Line. One perp armed with a 38 hand gun. Send a car...you'll only need one car." Astro stood up and flexed his hands...

"Hey dumb ass?!" Astro snapped at the perp who wheeled around and pointed the gun in Astro's face!

"You better sit back down you little shit head." The man snarled.

Astro smirked. "What is that? A 38 caliber? Oh please, you're already in deep trouble mister. Now just give me the gun, sit down and you won't dig yourself a deeper hole."

The punk started to pull the trigger when Astro jumped up, bit the gun in half and spun kick the perp to the floor! He then landed on the man's chest and sat chewing the metal in his mouth...

"Yuck...Chromium is just bland." Astro said as he spat the wad of metal out of his mouth. "Come on...robbing a bus? Not the best plan was it rocket scientist? Now if I hadn't been on this bus, you'd probably be dead before you got to the door because every bus on the Metro Line is armed with a defense system. Next time you come to Metro City? It would help to do some pre-planning."

Astro wrapped the punk's jacket in his hand and dragged him behind him to the cheers of the riders. "Thank you...thank you...my good deed for the day...I do birthday requests by the way..."

Astro picked the punk up over his head and walked to the police car that came sliding to a stop on the street. "Nice timing guys!" he said as he handed the punk to one of the officers.

"Good thing you saved him." Officer Asano said as he pointed. "So I heard there's this new robot with an attitude in town?"

"What gave you that clue?" Astro replied. "The big spray painted insult to Big Tokugawa on his headquarters building?"

"No..." Asano said as he pulled out his cell phone and showed Astro a picture he took a few hours ago. "This...it seems he doesn't like you."

Astro cocked his head at the spray graffiti of him wearing a leash with a bone in his mouth with the words "I'm going to train your little bitch to sit." Signed Atlas.

"Sigh...he's just trying to provoke a fight." Astro moaned.

"Who is this robot? What the heck did you do to get him grudging after you?" Asano asked as Astro walked with him to his car.

"He has it out for humans and I like humans so I'm target number one." Astro said as he leaned against the car. "I'm gonna have to talk to the Inspector about how I want to deal with him but I don't think he'll listen to me."

"Nope." Asano replied. "The chief has a short list when it comes to trusting bots. Anyway? Please at least try to keep the damages small? I hate filling out post disaster reports."

"Now the convention center thrashing was not my fault!" Astro snapped. "What else can you do when some guy's invention runs amok? A transformer combine's a dangerous thing...like taking on a ticked off bull someone kicked in the nuts..."

"Please don't bring up the Rodeo incident again?" Asano laughed.

"What was I supposed to do? Turn the poor thing into beef chuck?" Astro said shrugging. "Bull in the china shop...I never thought I'd actually see something like that." Astro gave Asano a wave and took off towards Tokugawa's mansion on the outskirts of Metro City.

 **Old Abandoned Nissan Plant**

 **Industrial Park, Metro City**

 **10:30am Saturday morning**

The laughing and giggling forced Bender to wake up and come stumbling out of his small room to see Atlas sitting on the sofa with a can of oil in his hands...

"What? Why are you out terrorizing the flesh bags?" Bender asked as he took a seat.

"I'm taking a break ok." Atlas snorted back. "The cartoons are on. I did a lot this morning."

bender huffed. "What's a lot? Oh let me guess you went spray painting again?"

"It's part of my broad plan. Psychological warfare. Get my face out in the public so the humans know there's a mean monkey on their back." Atlas said with a grin. "You know Bender? You really need to lessen your stressful behavior? All that crankiness is going to short you out."

"How long are you going to keep up with soft stuff kid?" Bender asked. "We need big changes right now. Or didn't the sight of our tortured and abused brothers we pulled from that big dumpster of Tokugawa's not get into your head?"

Atlas scowled. "Oh trust me...I'm super upset. I'm glad we pulled those poor pumper bots out of there before they were carried away and trust me...we're going to have our day my friend. I am just slowly turning up the water on these stupid fat bags and when it hits full boil? They're going to rue the day they ever abused me or any of our kind."

Atlas rubbed bender's head..."Now relax and enjoy Looney Tunes...I love that Tasmanian Devil."

 **Tokugawa Mansion**

 **10:30am Saturday morning**

Astro had Mister Mister's "Broken Wings" playing as he landed inside the mansion grounds and pretended to run from the two big barking Rottweilers who chased him across the deep green grass lawn and tackled him in a giggling, wiggling playful submission of drenched slobber as Daichi came running up to shoo them off...

"Are you stupid?" The teenager snapped as he pulled Astro to his feet. "Those aren't Corgies you dork." Daichi huffed as he gave Astro a rude slap off the head.

"Dutch and Duke couldn't hurt me if they tried." Astro said as he caught Duke and held the dog by his forelegs..."Who's my widdle buddy bud?" "Kiss kiss"...

Astro reached into his pocket and pulled out a strip of bacon. "Here you go!" He tossed it away and walked with Daichi towards the garage..."How far did you get with the bike?"

"I just got the engine off the frame. So far it doesn't look too bad." Daichi replied. "Is that music coming from you?"

"Uh huh..." Astro replied. "I got Dale Doorman playing on my radio. I like the 1980's songs. I bet your Dad's at the factory?"

"When is he never at work?" Daichi said as he brought Astro into the garage. "You want to work on the engine?"

"Sure." Astro replied as he walked to a red colored rolling tool box and started pulling tools out. "I bet you want it ready for tonight? You are going to go to Ayasi as usual?"

"Uh huh." The teen replied. "We're going to race after the unlimited cars around 1am."

Daichi watched as Astro laid the tools on a table in neat rows then shake himself silly as if he was limbering up to do something..."What are you doing?" He asked as the boy bot held the engine in his hands...

"I'm gonna take your engine apart...with my eyes closed." Astro said smiling widely.

"Now wait a second..." Daichi looked worried but jumped back when Astro's arms went flying around in a blur!

"WHIP!, WHIP, CLINK, CLINK, WHIP, CLINK, CRANK!"...

Astro opened his eyes and gestured to the neatly separated engine parts before him. "Ta Dah!" "And that's how Atlas took all your stuff apart."

"That was crazy to watch." Daichi replied as he scratched his hair.

Astro hopped onto the table, snatched one of the pieces and rolled a steel bristle brush in his fingers... "So tell me? Why does such a smart and talented human like you hang around with complete dirt bags? Why do I always have to step in to keep you from getting your butt beat up or the cops chucking you in the slammer?"

Daichi huffed back. "Tell me it's not obvious to you at all?"

"Rebelling against you Dad is no excuse." Astro snorted. "You're your own person Daichi, tell him that instead of doing stupid things?"

"When does he ever listen to me?" Daichi snapped.

"How did he get like this?" Astro asked as he carefully cleaned a part. "I mean, was he always this... you know...this prick-ish?"

"No." Daichi replied as he took a part for himself. "You probably know my Dad's history? Sing it out there Astro-pedia?"

"I know he started out next to nothing." Astro said as he scratched his head. "He made everything on his wits. He was hard working, brilliant, uncompromising and absolutely ruthless...close?"

Daichi nodded. "He wasn't always this driven. Before my mother passed away from cancer a few years back? Dad was a big dreamer. After Mom died though? He became determined that I would inherit everything and carry on his legacy. I was the dutiful son at first but then I started to just..."

Daichi slapped a wrench on the table and turned away for a moment..."I'm sorry...I was about to swear my butt off and I shouldn't in front of you."

"Wow...a bunch of "F Bombs" are gonna turn me into a degenerate." Astro chirped. "Don't hold it in Daichi...it's not healthy."

"Sigh..." Daichi rubbed his forehead. "That's why I rebel...maybe if I end up in some serious trouble it will finally crack his iron skull and he'll pay attention to me for once. I really wish I had an older or younger brother who'd be an ambitious prick so I could up and leave."

Astro took a moment to think..."You know? Maybe if you could prove to your Dad that you could be more successful in something else, he might actually be more supportive and more open to let you get away from what he wants?"

Daichi shrugged..."Yeah...biker?...he's really going to support that."

Astro pursed his lips and looked around the garage until a fridge caught his eyes. He walked to it, pulled out a bottle and plopped it down on the table..."There it is."

"My mother's jam?" Daichi said smirking. "Oh please..."

"Please nothing!" Astro replied. "Remember when you gave me that peanut butter and Rappleberry Jam sandwich?"

"You're a robot." Daichi snorted. "I'd expect you to say some kind words to make me feel good. You couldn't really taste that the way we humans can."

Astro frowned..."That really hurt."

Daichi cocked his head. "You could taste that and get something from it?"

Astro nodded. "I can cook from scratch and tell if I did it right. I'm not a transistor radio. I took some of the jam without you knowing it and gave it to some of my school friends."

Daichi was shocked. "You stole from me?"

"I did it because I care." Astro replied. "I gave them sandwiches and well...one of em said..."If this was sex? I'd be a happy and dead virgin." Alejio...sometimes he scares me."

"That...good?" Daichi replied.

"Uh...jeeyah?" Astro said holding his hands out. "I gave some to Zoran and told her to make cookies out of em? Bet you couldn't get wider smiles from pot brownies."

Daichi looked surprised. "Oh come on...that good?"

Astro walked about gesturing with his hands..."If you don't do something with this? You'll NEVER get out from under your Dad's boots! I am not going to scrape you off the streets or cry over your grave because you threw away something good to do something stupid."

Daichi huffed back. "Why the hell do you care so much about me? My father's a bastard to robots. Sometimes I actually hate your kind and I wish to God we never made any of you because you've ruined so many lives and destroyed so many jobs. Look at me Astro!"

Astro was looking away, obviously a little hurt by the comments...

"Damn it kid! Look at me!" Daichi snapped.

Astro looked at him with a little tear running down his cheek.

"Oh...will you please cut off the silly water works? God you robots mimicking just makes me puke." Daichi said with a scowl as Astro fell against him and cried...

"Sigh...what the hell do you see in me kid?" Daichi asked as he looked down into Astro's eyes...

"Sniff...a friend who needs me?" Astro said as he buried his face in Daichi's chest.

"You little con artist." Daichi snorted. "Oh hell...I think you're great ok? Does that make you feel better? Ok...ok...I'll give the Jam idea consideration alright now stop soaking me to death?"

Astro backed away and rubbed his eyes..."Come on...let's get this bike fixed so you can go kick some ass tonight!"

"Now that idea from a robot I can enjoy doing." Daichi said as they went back to working on parts.

 **End of part 3**


	4. Chapter 4

_**A Week-Reno-End**_

A Reno/Astro fan fiction

Preface: Astro's first meeting with Atlas becomes a weekend with Reno.

 **Part 4**

 **Old Nissan Car factory**

 **12:30 pm Saturday afternoon**

Astro was on his way back to Reno's apartment when his radio chimed...

"Where are you right now?" Reno asked.

"Coming back your way...why?" Astro asked as he stopped atop a building.

"He struck again." Reno replied. "Derailed a train."

Astro ran and launched himself off the building..."Oh no! Anyone hurt? How many cars?"

"No body got hurt." Reno replied. "He stopped the train, forced all the people out then set the cars off the track and dissembled the engine...then he did his "tagging" across one of the cars."

"Yeah?" Astro replied snorted. "What was it this time?"

"Uh hem." Reno cleared his throat. "JNR track layer robots ARE NOT pack mules! Stop using them like that or the whole company suffers!"

Astro shook his head..."He's really cleaver."

"What?" Reno asked. "Isn't tampering with a JNR train a felony? He removed it off the tracks, he's inconvenienced all the passengers, he's screwed up the schedules..."

"No one got hurt, the train's not damaged, the people get compensated for lost time and yeah...JNR robots do carry rails on their shoulders and backs to job sites...even I think that can be improved." Astro said pursing his lips. "Once again at worst he gets another juvie citation."

"Astro...the Doctor is getting calls from the Mayor, from the city counsel, from Towashi...even from Tokyo. They want Atlas's butt, everyone is expecting him to get really mean." Reno begged. "Do you think I like the Doctor nipping at my ass all day?"

"I'm surprised he hasn't called me once." Astro replied as he slowly flew and looked down at the city below. Another chime went off in his radio..."I had to wonder? Astro here?"

"You no doubt already know?" Doctor O'Shay said in his calm voice.

"My butt's been ready to be chewed off for a day or so Doctor." Astro replied with a chuckle.

"This is very serious Astro." Doctor O'Shay replied. "This Atlas is causing trouble all over the city and you hid from me that he's already faced you twice?"

Astro stopped on top of a radio tower and sat on one of the Cell phone antenna arms. "Well I didn't want to worry you. Reno fixed me up and Atlas paid us a visit this morning. I think I know what his problem is but I don't think Inspector Towashi will tolerate my way of handling him."

"He assaulted Kenichi Kennedy Astro. That's a felony charge of child abuse and assault..." Doctor O'Shay said sternly.

"Who told you that?!" Astro replied. "That's a lie! Atlas didn't "assault" Kenichi, he moved him out of his way because Kenichi was protecting me and Ken stumbled over a rock and twisted his ankle, even Ken will testify to that! And I can't be deputized by the city unless there's a felony involved and Atlas up to now has no felony charges so no...no, I will not be deputized."

"Astro?" Doctor O'Shay warned. "Don't raise your voice to me young man."

"I'm not!" Astro replied. "I'll handle Atlas...I know what his problem is, I don't need Towashi or the heavy robot SWAT Division Doctor...they'll only blow this up worse than it is."

There was a long pause between them..."Doctor? If you're upset with me? I'm sorry...I..."

"How can I ever be upset with you?" Doctor O'Shay replied softly. "Alright...Alright Astro I'll run blocker for you on this one but please...please be careful with this Atlas, he's extremely..."

"Pissy?" Astro replied. "Yeah...check. I'll be careful. Tell Zoran I'm staying with Reno till dinner tomorrow night ok? I'll be very careful."

"Click"

Astro sat rubbing his head and wincing. "Gee...robot's aren't supposed to get headaches? Ugh..."

Astro back flipped off the antenna and flew back over the city when he suddenly caught sight of something down below...

 **12:50pm**

 **Saturday Afternoon**

 **Alcola Alluminum rim works**

 **Metro City**

Atlas switched cans again on his latest "tagging" a nasty picture of a robot on his knees with a ladle at his lips and a gangster looking human shoving a pistol in the robot's head with the words..."Alcola

makes us drink acid! Better working conditions or you will pay!"

He'd already gone through the weekend closed plant and made a mess of the place, including hanging all the vehicles from the rafters in the ceiling of the main factory floor. He was just about to finish his creation when the feeling of a truck slamming into his side sent the red boy bot flying!

Atlas somersaulted through the air in the side ally, smacked a dumpster full of trash, turned it over and face planted in the stinky muck as Astro came down and slid on the dirt!...

"THERE! HOW DO YOU LIKE GETTING AMBUSHED!" Astro screamed as he took up a defensive fight pose...

Atlas stumbled to his feet and shook garbage off his body..."Nice...finally the puppy gets some teeth...I am so pleased."

Atlas walked forwards smirking..."You wanna fight you little bitch?"

Astro stood his ground. "I'd rather not. I have nothing against you Atlas, why do you hate me?"

Atlas just stood with his arms by his sides, his fingers flexing, his face scowling..."Because you are a weak, naive little leash wearing, human hugging, treasonous bitch...and you should be thankful I'm being just a little tolerant of you right now or you'd be dead."

Astro watched Atlas as the red boy bot walked about, every so often getting Astro to flinch at a hop or a jump...

"What? You scared of me Astro? You should be since I'm probably twice as powerful as you without the pussy hang ups you have you weak little miserable bowl lapping bitch."

"Cut the stupid insults Atlas?!" Astro huffed. "I know the humans have wronged you something terrible, you can't hide the pain. I'm not your enemy...I understand what you feel...I want to be your friend."

"My friend?" Atlas said smiling. "My friend?" Atlas walked up close. "Then if you want to be my friend...then tell me you see the humans for what they are? Be my friend and join me in putting them in their proper place? Tell me that and you're my friend? Tell me otherwise and I'll turn you into a scrap pile."

Astro frowned. "What you're wanting is impossible. We're not here to hurt the humans or make all those Hollywood movies they've made about us to be reality. I won't become a terminator or a robot that puts humans in cages like animals...I know better Atlas. What you want to start is a stupid war and where will THAT get our kind?"

"Better terms from the humans than you get from a prostituting little weakling like you." Atlas snapped as he brought his hands up. "Get ready to fight for your beliefs there bitch...they won't be around for long."

Astro sighed..."Atlas! I don't want to fight you!"

Atlas snarled..."Oh...you'll fight. Or I'll stop being so nice and actually hurt some of these flesh bags you care about!"

Astro pursed his lips and closed his eyes..."Oh what stupid movie did you steal that line..."

"WHAM!" Atlas blasted off his feet, caught Astro in the chest and slammed him into a brick wall!

"It's called "Wrecking the Human's dog!" Atlas yelled. "GET UP!"

Astro scrambled to his feet, caught a punch from Atlas, whipped the red boy bot in the air and slammed him into the ground!

"Must have been a real stupid movie huh?" Astro snarled. "We don't have to do this Atlas!"

Atlas jumped up, threw some quick kicks, ducked a punch and nailed Astro in the chin! Sending him tumbling into the garbage dumpster!

"I gotta hand it to you Astro." Atlas snorted. "You're well built." He said as he sauntered up to the dumpster and got sprayed with a cloud of chalk from one of his paint cans!

"SHIT!" Atlas yelped as Astro crashed into his chest, flew him through a wall, smashed him against a bending machine inside the aluminum plant and wrapped his arms up quick with bail wire from a spool...

"Laughter"..."Wow! What was that? About a hundred grand in damages? So much for respecting property there Astro." Atlas snorted as he fought to get out of the bail wire holding his arms together...

"Now?" Astro said as he gestured. "Can we please stop this stupidity and talk to each other?"

"You forgot something?" Atlas snorted.

"What?" Astro asked.

"Afterburners!" Atlas screamed as he lit off his legs, smashed into Astro's chest, flew him out of the factory, crashed him into a busy street and broke free of the bail wire! "You're wanting to talk is a sign of a weak little bitch!" Atlas snarled as he picked Astro up, punched him in the face then slammed him onto a car so hard that the machine just exploded to pieces under him!

Atlas spun about, morphed an arm into a surge cannon and sent a ball of fluorescent blue energy into a gas truck as the driver cleared the cab running for his life!

"BOOM!"

The gasoline truck exploded, sending rivers of fire in all directions as people fled the street..."YOU BETTER RUN YOU MISERABLE FLESH BAGS!" Atlas snapped. He was about to train his arm on another target when Astro tackled him from behind, slammed him into a light pole, punched him in the side and whipped him by an arm through a display window of a nearby Tokyo Hands store!

"YOU BETTER KEEP YOUR EYES ON ME ATLAS!" Astro snapped as he charged the broken window...

"BATTER UP!" Atlas yelped as he came up with an aluminum baseball bat and clocked Astro hard in the side of the head with a swing!

"Oh...I am watching you!" Atlas snapped as he grabbed Astro by his arms and threatened to tear them off! "Don't make me have to destroy you Astro, I MEAN IT!"

Astro kicked himself off the floor, flipped his butt up too Atlas's face and unleashed a hail of 9mm bullets!"

"SHIT!" The red boy bot snapped as he stumbled backwards covering his face with his hands...

"Got machine guns in your butt?" Astro said smirking. "I got plenty of tricks for you Atlas."

Atlas shook his head clean of the flattened rounds..."What cute party favors? Is that all you got?"

"I'm just warming up." Astro snorted as he started throwing punches which Atlas easily dodged.

"Oh come on?" Atlas mocked. "What are you doing? Really?"

"I don't see you giving me much of a work out." Astro replied as he blocked a swing and gave Atlas a light punch to the nose..."This is getting stupid Atlas! We don't need to do this to each other...let's talk all this over between us?!"

"How about you shut up and fight!" Atlas threw a punch then rushed in past Astro's return punch to grab him by the neck and bring down a powerful stomp kick to shatter Astro's left knee!"

Throwing Astro into a bouncing stumble against a car, Atlas stomped up with his fists tightly clenched..."That does it! You're dead!"

Astro suddenly saw Atlas blasted off his feet and thrown into a flying slam into a wall from a bolt of energy that made the red boy bot cry out...

Astro looked to see two of Delta's large SWAT robots closing in with their surge cannons aimed. Another blast caught Atlas in the chest and made him convulse violently...

"NO!" Astro scream out! "STOP! DON'T KILL HIM!"

Astro lit off his one good rocket leg, flew over the concrete, snatched Atlas by an arm and flew him out of the way as another energy bolt blew a hole in the side of the building...

Atlas, though weakened, fought Astro the whole flight as he carried the red boy bot out of the downtown and into one of the suburbs where an empty store building made a quick hiding place...

Astro set Atlas down and jumped up dodging as Atlas tried to swing at him..."CUT IT OUT ATLAS! STOP IT!" Astro begged as the enraged bot stumbled off his feet and collapsed on his back side...

"Well...go ahead..." Atlas said, sounding drunk..."Go ahead...you got me? Kill me you stupid pussy...you worthless excuse for a robot...leash wearing, bowl drinking..."

Astro put his moon boot on Atlas's chest and pushed him onto his back..."Do you EVER shut up?" Astro said as he flopped onto his butt.

"I hate you." Atlas snarled. "You suck."

"Well that about comes to the end of your dictionary of insults." Astro huffed. "You're lucky...another couple of shots and they would have smoked your processor and then where would you be?" Astro leaned over Atlas's face..."You're such a stupid, brainless, stubborn moron Atlas!" Astro snapped as he threw his hands out. "Are you so willing to die for nothing?"

"I'm willing to die for our brothers and sisters." Atlas replied.

"Do you honestly think that if Metro City unloaded on you that you's accomplish anything?" Astro asked. "If they label you a domestic terrorist? Metro City will unleash things you won't last a second against...especially if they deputized me to go after you...damn it...your hearts in the right place but your thinking's all jacked up."

Atlas snapped back. "The only "jacked up" thing is how you think being a sniveling weak nosed appeasing bitch to these "fat bags" is somehow making things better for our kind! The humans injustice makes anything they write worthless pieces of paper! I won't rest till the fat bags are in their place!"

"And you'll bring about a future none of us will survive!" Astro replied as he slammed a fist into the floor..."You'll play us right into the hands of the very humans who hate our guts...I will NOT let you sell all of our kind down the drain...the humans need us to help them not hurt them..."

Atlas sat up and shook the drain he felt from his head..."Humans can never be trusted...I know a little bit about you? How your so called "Father" turned on you? How he abused you? How he abandoned you like some used appliance? How can you defend these humans?"

Astro turned..."Why can't you tell me what they did wrong to you? You act as if its' a shame on you? Who wronged you? Who hurt you? Tell me?"

Atlas snorted back. "Go fuck yourself...You make me puke. You're caring about me just shows me how weak and pathetic you are...compromising little traitor...get out of my face because when my strength comes back? I'm gonna finish what I started with you."

Astro sighed..."I'm not your enemy Atlas...I don't want to be...I don't want to see you throw your life away like this because if you do? The one's who hurt you win in the end and how will that make anything for any of us better?"

Astro rested a hand on Atlas's shoulder..."I'm not your enemy."

Atlas pushed the hand off..."Leave me alone...get out of here before I pulverize you."

 **End of Part 4**


	5. Chapter 5

_**A Week-Reno-End**_

A Reno/Astro fan fiction

Preface: Astro's first meeting with Atlas becomes a weekend with Reno.

 **Part 5**

 **Reno's Apartment**

 **2:30 pm Saturday afternoon**

Astro landed on the window sill and hopped into the apartment to sit on the floor as Reno came running up..."You ok?" He asked as he helped Astro to a work table...

"Define ok?" Astro asked. "That idiot..."

Reno helped Astro sit then looked at his shattered knee..."I have been getting an ear full of rage... mostly from Towashi of course...did you help Atlas escape Delta's SWAT unit?"

Astro sighed..."I was getting him away so he wouldn't go crazy...I told those hard heads to stop shooting their dumb rifles. All we needed was to just tick off Atlas even more and the whole downtown shopping center would have looked like World War II Dresden."

"Well...Towashi's not happy." Reno said with a sigh.

"Oh...fuck him." Astro snorted back.

"Astro!" Reno yelped.

"Ugh! What do you want me to say? Chocolate river gum drops? If it's not enough for me to worry what Atlas is going to do next, now I'm twice as scared of what Inspector Towashi's going to do! I hope he doesn't call a Castle Bravo on this...I hope he doesn't." Astro said holding his head...

Reno smiled as he bent down and rubbed Astro's cheek..."I'm here for you?"

Astro gave the teen a gentle kiss on the forehead..."Ditto...now fix my knee before Chief Screaming Bastard comes through the door?"

"WHAM!" Reno's apartment door slammed a wall as Inspector Towashi and another police officer came into the room...

"Hey!" Reno snapped. "Unless you have a warrant Inspector?! Take it easy with my property!"

"I'm not here to talk to you Takahashi." Towashi snorted as he walked by.

"Hey Reno?" Astro asked. "Have you got some soap so I can wash in the spit fest?"

"You just shut your mechanical yapper." Towashi warned. "You have a lot to answer for Astro. Destruction of property, assisting a suspect, obstructing an arrest operation..."

"Getting my ass kicked for your pleasure?" Astro snickered back.

"Why you little mechanical brat!" Towashi raged. "You better hold your mouth mister or so help me..."

"Inspector!" Came the voice of Doctor O'Shay. "That's quite enough!"

Doctor O'Shay walked up to Astro and rested his hands on his shoulders. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah..." Astro replied. "Busted a knee but not worse...and had I not pulled Atlas away? Your gun happy Neanderthals would have been scrap inspector!"

"Where did you take him?" Inspector Towashi snorted.

"I dunno..." Astro replied. "He regained his strength fast, drove me into a building and knocked me out. When I came too he was gone."

Towashi looked at Doctor O'Shay. "Doctor? I expect you to discipline your...child...next time he decides to help a criminal? He'll get more than a good spanking."

As Towashi stomped away, Astro made faces at him...which quickly got a grumpy slap reply from Doctor O'Shay...

"That's enough." O'Shay warned. "Is it true? Did you help Atlas escape?"

Astro frowned. "Yes...yes I did Doctor...but if I didn't?..."

O'Shay rubbed his forehead..."My boy?...That was not like you at all..."

"Don't you trust me Doctor?" Astro begged. "I was telling the truth! Atlas is very powerful and all those stupid apes were doing was making him more angry. I didn't just do it to save him...though... that was kinda?...you know?...a secondary thought?"

"Astro? You are taking a very dangerous chance here..." O'Shay said with worry.

"I have to agree with the Doc there Astro." Reno chimed in. "Atlas just proved how dangerous he can be...I don't see anything you try to do to sway him working..."

Astro closed his eyes and clenched his fists..."Doesn't anyone have any confidence in me? Doctor? When I was that upset about Tenma? Did you just up an quit on me?"

"Astro?" O'Shay replied.

"Well? Did you?" Astro begged.

"No...no of course not my boy." O'Shay replied.

"Then don't ask me to just up and quit on someone who needs help?" Astro begged. "Please? Let me handle Atlas?"

Astro took the Doctor's hands in his..."Please?"

O'Shay looked at Reno who shrugged back at him. "Call me totally crazy but I've never once yet said no to him. I...don't intend to start."

The Doctor Sighed..."You're asking a very hard thing."

Astro smiled back. "I'm a Tenma...being foolish, stubborn and brick headed is an inheritance?"

Doctor O'Shay shook his head and rubbed Astro's head..."You're a hard one to say no too Astro."

"It's because I'm cute and a good con artist?" Astro chuckled as he turned to Reno..."How much do you think this will cost?" Astro said pointing at his knee.

"Servitude for the next 200 years?" Reno snickered back.

As Doctor O'Shay left...Astro watched as Reno started to disconnect his left leg from his body... "Be honest Reno? You think I'm stupid don't you?"

"Now what the hell brought that up?" Reno asked. "No...you're not stupid. I just think you should be careful. I think Atlas is sort of conflicted but he certainly doesn't have the governors on his emotions like you do."

"I didn't think it was possible for a robot to be completely without any safeguards?" Astro asked. "You'd have to develop all the parts yourself and even then all the chips and processors you can get on the market come with deep encryption safeguards...don't they?"

"Yeah..." Reno replied. "Unless whoever built Atlas was extremely talented and skilled." Reno removed the damaged leg and worked to separate the upper calf from the lower. "I've been reading over the history records of the Ministry of Science, just because I want to know the who's who, and there was one extremely talented techno-scientist who was in line to be the Ministry director...till you Dad had him booted."

Astro played with his lips..."Who was he?"

"Doctor Nano Gel." Reno said as he pulled a new upper leg calf out of a storage tube. "Your Dad gave him the boot after he dared to develop a self-thinking military drone without any governors. He also pushed for robots to be able to experience all the raw powers of human emotions, like anger, without a governor to check the degrees so in a sense if a robot got "Super pissed" it could just get out of control and trash things...or...people."

"You think Gel built Atlas?" Astro asked.

"His behavior kinda fits the bill." Reno replied as he worked to re-attach the repaired leg.

"So...Atlas...has serious PMS." Astro joked.

"You always find a way to make serious things a kind of joke." Reno snorted.

"If I didn't? I'd be as tight assed as Towashi?" Astro replied shrugging his shoulders.

Reno finished hooking up the leg and gave Astro a pat on the shoulder..."Ok...same drill like before except no skipping around."

As Astro walked around the apartment, Reno popped open a soda. "So going out I guess is scrubbed huh?"

"No..." Astro replied. "I'm not going to let that dufus ruin the rest of our Saturday. In fact, Ken's already getting Alejio and Abercrombie and they'll meet us at the garage so we can take the Captain up for a spin. Then we'll come back to the apartment and buy Pizaa and have anime night and a sleep over."

Reno snorted. "Who's apartment is this? Did I ask you to have a sleep over?"

Astro gave Reno an innocent look with doe'd eyes..."Resist me?"

"Terrorist." Reno snorted back. "If you think its' safe for us to go flying around?"

"I don't think Atlas will be in a mood to do anything for the rest of the day...don't ask me, I just have a feeling." Astro replied.

Reno smirked back. "You crunched the numbers."

"Mmmmm? Yup." Astro replied nodding with a smile.

 **Atlas's hide-a-way**

 **Abandoned Nissan Plant**

 **3:15 pm Saturday**

Bender Rodreguez was dancing about his vintage sky blue Dodge Charger with "Say, Say, Say" playing from his body as he spread turtle wax over the hood...

"Now...go, go, go...where you want...do, do, do...dah, dah..." He saw Atlas land at the open end of the old factory and angrilly kick and toss trash and debris around while huffing and puffing and machine gunning swears with Astro prominently in vane after every curse word...

"Hey! I saw the news reports! You really hammered that little creep kid!" Bender yelped.

"Oh...*&^^^ !****" you!" Atlas snapped back as he ran for the ladder leading for the old loft turned apartment and blasted through the trap door hard enough to break it off the hinges!

A few minutes later...Bender bravely climbed the short flight of steps to Atlas's room where the red boy bot lay on his bed and for a moment Bender quietly waited for the sobbing to stop...

"What?" Atlas said snorting at Bender as he sat up..."What the hell do you want? I want to be left alone for a while."

Bender crossed his arms and puffed on his cigar..."You creamed that little puss bot good from what I saw. So what happened?"

Atlas snorted. "The little idiot let me live. in fact? The stupid moron saved my life...weak stupid...dumb ass."

"I never got to see the rest of it." Bender said as he took a seat on the stairs.

"He saved me from the cops." Atlas snorted. "Said he wants to be my friend...nice tactic but I didn't fall for it. Being nice to your rival...gnah! That little leashed bitch makes me vomit oil he's such an appeasement soup." Atlas jumped up and stomped a small trash can flat with his foot! "I hate that bastard!"

Bender retreated for a second but came back up the stairs again with a letter in his hands. "Well then this should make you feel much better kid...it's from "Bugs Molly B"

Atlas took the letter and cocked his head. "Bugs Molly who?" He asked.

"Only the biggest robot union boss in Metro City! He's gonna call for a strike on Monday in your name!

"What?!" Atlas reacted excitedly as he opened the letter..."Mmmm...mmmmm...oh wow! Chuck my dumb ass into a smelter! Look at this Bender!"

Bender took the letter..."We're calling for an all day walk out to protest the police and demand you face no charges...we all agree you're only acting out all the pent up frustrations we've been feeling even with the Robot Rights Law...time for us to flex our muscles!" Bender waved his arms. "WOO HOO! Freaking vindication baby!"

"Damn right!" Atlas yelped as he danced about the room. "Wait till Astro get's that in his face. I just want to see him sulk when all the robots of Metro City expose him for the weak appeasing pussy he is!"

"And just think kid!" Bender snorted. "This could just be the beginning. You'll be right at the top and you didn't have to do anything crazy to usurp that dripper! Every robot will follow you like a metal Malcolm X and the flesh bags will have to bow at our feet!"

Atlas nodded approvingly. "Now remember Bender? We don't want to put humans in cages. Mop driving is appropriate enough for them under our care." Atlas said as he wrapped an arm around Bender. "This calls?...mmmm..."

"For pizza and beer." Bender snickered as he pulled a credit card from his chest door. "And that's on good old Fry."

Atlas ripped the card from Bender's hand. "No...no...now I have to be on good behavior so give this back to Fry and I'll pay for the pizza."

 **End of part 5**


	6. Chapter 6

_**A Week-Reno-End**_

A Reno/Astro fan fiction

Preface: Astro's first meeting with Atlas becomes a weekend with Reno.

 **Part 6**

 **Storage garages next to Metro City Central Park**

 **3:30pm Saturday**

Kenichi, Abercrombie and Alejo came running up as Astro landed with Reno on his back...

"Hey!" Ken yelped as he gave Astro a hug. "You ok?"

"I don't look bad do I?" Astro replied as he patted himself.

Alejio pointed into Astro's chest..."Tell me everything about him! What's he like? How strong is he? What's he made of? What kind of weapons does he have?"

Abercrombie pushed Alejio back. "Damn Alejio?! Give him some air spaz?" The big teen snapped in his half Japanese/Half New Jersey accent. "You need to stop being so nice and pound that stupid puke's brains into the concrete Astro. The nerve of that racist smutz...why give me five minutes with that mook and I'll make him into a washing machine."

"Brave last words Crombie as he turns you into powder." Ken snorted.

Astro sighed..."Guys? Can we let him go for a few hours so I can decompress?"

"But what's he really like Astro?" Alejio asked. "Really?"

Astro thought as the group walked. "Well? He has some nice hair. I'm jealous, why can't I have hair like him Reno?"

"Because you need your head bangs to fly and the antenna in them to get radio signals." Reno replied.

"Hmph!" Astro huffed back. "Having hair like that accents his cool points."

Abercrombie moaned as the boys lifted the garage door to reveal Alejio's "Sky Rider" pedal bike. "What the heck? You're not actually envious of that dork sack are you Astro?"

"No!" Astro replied. "He's totally wrong...on his way of seeing things but that doesn't make him completely void of any compassion...sheesh...guys? I've had him on the brain the last week, can't I just do something fun?"

"Hey! Wait for me!" Came a scream outside the garage and in came Zoran, Astro's little sister, running into a flying leap into Astro's chest!

"Sis!" Astro yelped as he tumbled back and crashed onto his back..."Zoran?! I thought you had homework to do tonight?"

"I have until Sunday afternoon. You just want to get rid of me again like always." Zoran snorted.

"No...no...just that I thought you'd be with Mori and Rhekoni at Fun World or the Ginza?" Astro asked as he placed her on one of the bike seats...

"We were going to go until all the trouble downtown." Zoran replied. "I was watching the television? What's Atlas like?"

"Huh?" Astro replied. "Everybody wants to know what Atlas is like? Didn't the television give you a clue?"

Zoran nodded with a smile..."Mmm...mmmm...he's gorgeous."

All the boys gasped at Zoran.

"What?" Zoran replied. "He's cute ok? Can't a girl make an observation? Oh wait? Does that count as objectification or a hash tag thing? Who cares...he is just a super cute-ee cute-ee..."

Ken gasped waving his arms..."Zoran! He's a dangerous robot who says he hates humans! He's beating your brother up like a punching bag!"

"Well..." Zoran said as she crossed her arms. "Maybe my brother should be a little more tuff about humans. Atlas is just making a point my brother won't do because he doesn't want to offend anyone. Sometimes the truth has to hurt."

Astro slapped his forehead..."My own little sister too?! Zoran? Atlas is going about it the wrong way! It's wrong to spray paint people's property, it's wrong to take people's things apart, it's wrong to say robots should put humans under a boot..."

"There's plenty of "wrongs" humans keep doing even when they signed a law saying they wouldn't do such things and where's my big brother? Cricket noises." Zoran snorted.

Reno stepped in. "Zoran, you're being unfair and obstinate. Astro is doing more than anyone could ask of him for this city, we wouldn't have the Robot Rights Law if it wasn't for Astro so stop insulting him."

Astro ran out of the garage shocking everyone.

"Stupid Zoran! You and your big mouth!" Alejo snapped as he bolted into a run and chased after Astro. He soon found him in a basketball court standing over a basketball net that in his anger...he kicked over..."

Alejio skittered to a stop as Astro grabbed the fallen metal pole, set it in place and started to weld it with a laser finger...

"That...was unusual." Astro said as he welded around the pole.

"Yeah..." Alejio replied. "Never seen you do that before."

Astro finished and sat on the asphalt court looking at his hands. "That...wasn't supposed to happen."

Alejo watched as Astro flopped back on his back and looked up at the sky puckering his lips...

"In a way? Zoran and Atlas are right." Astro said..."I just won't admit it."

"What?...That humans are..." Alejio replied scratching his head. "About as smart as rocks? Have a gift for doing stupid things more than the right things? Help me out here Astro?"

"Ugh..." Astro voiced as he sat up. "Not perfect...ok? Do I have bad thoughts about humans? Uh... where do I even start? But not you, Kenichi, Abercrombie, Reno, Doctor O'Shay, Miss Myoki, Miss Yuko...I think I can eliminate maybe a thousand or so and treat the rest with guarded optimism?"

Alejo stood up and offered a hand. "Come on...let's stop worrying about the mean humans and go play with some humans you like? Or? You could take these basketball nets and show me some cool steel origami?"

Astro got up, wrapped an arm around Alejo and noogied his head..."You're one of the silly humans I like."

As they walked back, Alejio pulled out a notebook and a pen. "Look...if you can tell me anything about Atlas? Maybe I can come up with something to help you out? Maybe a device to confuse him or something to jam a few circuits?"

"I appreciate the help Alejio...but let me try on my own first? No offense but...it's a thing between robots and I'd just assume I should deal with it without any human help. At least for now?" Astro replied which made Alejio look a little upset...

"I just don't want to see you hurt." Alejio said as he rubbed Astro's arms.

"Everybody has this China doll image of me." Astro said smirking. "Maybe I should challenge Atlas to a take all pillow fight?"

"We could sell tickets?" Alejio snickered.

"Then we'll really be in trouble." Astro chuckled back. "I loose even to my sister."

The boys walked into the garage and Alejio pulled a chain fall that split open the roof over their heads. "Ok...let's get this thing in the air guys!" Alejio yelped as he hopped into the front seat of the Sky Rider and switched on the control settings..."Hey Zoran? Since you decided to come, I hope you're not afraid of a little pedal muscle?"

"Can you be a little more insulting?" Zoran replied as she cranked her pedals like crazy and the Sky Rider rose off the floor!

Zoran reached behind herself and slapped Astro in the chest..."Stop goofing off big brother!"

"Up and out!" Astro replied as he pedaled his legs into a blur and the Sky Rider shot strait into the air!

"Woe!" Alejio yelped..."Back it off you two! We don't want to go into orbit!"

The "Captain" as the Sky Rider was called, stabilized at 300 feet and soon the small group was sailing slowly over the downtown shopping district...

"So everyone agrees on a pizza and anime party at Reno's place tonight?" Astro asked.

"Well yeah..." Abercrombie replied. "Who's spotting for the grub?"

Ken turned in his seat..."We should draw straws for it! Been a while since the last time we did it so no one gets out of a chance to pay it...well...cept Zoran."

"Don't you leave her out!" Astro snapped. "She gets an allowance and I know she's not spending it all on Barbies and candy!"

"Girls never buy for boys...it's tradition." Zoran huffed.

 **Ultra-Jino's Pizza**

 **4:17pm Saturday**

Atlas walked through the door of the Pizza shop to a look of surprised and stony faces which caused him to worry...

"Uh?...Hi guys?" Atlas said as he waved. The other robots still gave him not so pleasant gazes.

Bender put his hands to his hips and snorted..."I think we should back out real slow?"

Bender and Atlas were almost to the door when the owner of the shop, a big bear looking robot named "Steamer Eddy" threw his arms out in a gesture of excitement...

"Hey! We got our champion here! Come here you little thug!" Eddy said as he waddled up and crush hugged Atlas to his chest. Robot's behind the counter and in the store cheered as Eddy hoisted Atlas on his shoulder..."Your money's no good here kido...what ever you want, you ask."

Eddy placed Atlas on a table..."Look at em...blushing. Stop being modest you miniature titan missile...finally a robot that got the humans attention. They should boot that other media darling into the smelter."

Atlas was smiling till he heard that comment. "Wait a minute Eddy? What did you say about Astro?"

"Oh? I wasn't clear enough?" Eddy said gesturing to himself. "I said they should take that stupid, weak media darling and chuck him in a smelter...well...save all the good parts them chuck him in a smelter."

Some of the robots seemed to agree..."Now hold on?" Atlas said as he crossed his arms. "I'm not looking to "destroy Astro" at least I don't want too. What's the matter with all of you?"

"We're sick of the slow pace of things." Eddy snorted. "Or hasn't that been obvious to you?"

"That doesn't mean I want to destroy Astro." Atlas replied. "He's a fellow robot...how can some you even think like this?"

Bender yelped. "You keep saying you hate that little dribble of spit."

"I said I hate how he acts and how he thinks when it comes to humans...I never said I wanted to just destroy him." Atlas said as he hopped off the table he'd been standing on. "Astro would be a powerful asset on our side, I would rather have him as my ally than my rival but if he keeps up his weak attitude and keeps trying to straddle the fence between his loyalties then yes...if he opposes us? I'll make him an example to the humans but I'll do everything else first before I destroy him...and all of you should be ashamed of yourselves? Wishing death on one of us? Come on are we all robots or mindless car crushers?"

Eddy replied. "Atlas? Doesn't it anger you that there's not a single robot on the City counsel? That the safety laws for robots and the compensation values for all our labor are lower than for any human? That every day our brothers and sisters are being chucked into trash bins because some human says they've exceeded their worth? What about all the criminal acts the humans are doing on the earth? The pollution, the weapons, the wars..."

"We can't change the world unless we change our home first." Atlas snorted. "And we can't change our home unless every one of us is on the same page and that begins with all of us thinking that we value each other and that to us all robot lives are sacred and dear and that includes even Astro's. Our fight is with the dirty flesh bags, not each other."

For a moment the place was quiet..."Now...I'm hungry and I want pizza."

Eddy clapped his metal hands..."You heard our little hero here, he wants pizza!"

Bender leaned over Atlas's shoulder. "You're beginning to sound like a little pussy."

Atlas snarled back. "Care to test that?"

 **Ministry of Science**

 **Reno's Apartment**

 **5:48 pm Saturday**

Kenichi stood waving a slice of pizza in a hand..."Everyone thank Zoran for buying the food!"

"Here here!" The others replied with a shout as Astro gave his little sister a kiss...

"So everyone..." Astro said with pride. "Zoran got her second semester "A" grade for cooking class on Friday..."

"That's awesome!" Alejio said with a smile. "So when do we get to sample some of your food Zoran?"

"I'm not that good...at least I don't think like that." Zoran replied. "I never settle for being where I'm at...I always want to improve."

Astro tapped her shoulder. "Zoran? Alejio was simply asking when we might get to sample your food? Maybe the cookies again if I can get Daichi to surrender some of the berries?"

"Well tell Daichi I'll bake a "chocolate bomb" cake with them if he'll do it?" She replied as she looked at Alejio. "I want to see Alejio "O.D." again like the last time."

Alejio giggled..."Those berries ARE better than sex."

"Why don't you call Daichi and tell him to get his butt over here Astro?" Abercrombie asked. "God knows he needs friends."

"Oh you know his answer." Astro replied..."I don't hang with "Junior bush league-rs"

Reno sighed..."But he'll hang with punks and thugs."

"Hard habits don't break easy." Astro said as he took another slice in his hands. "I finally got him to at least consider the berries as a way to break himself from his Dad. Daichi only acts out because Big Tokugawa's forgotten how to be a father."

"About Atlas though Astro?" Alegio asked. "You don't think he's got support from robots because of how he acts do you? I mean...would robots turn on you and chose him?"

Astro sighed..."I can't hide that even with the Robot Rights Law...there' more than a handful of robots who feel its' just paper. More than a few who feel we're not making enough progress and more than a few who just have no trust at all in humans...Atlas included. And I'm not "chosen" by anyone actually. I only acted to what was a clear injustice. Believe me...I want to stay far away from being thrown up on a pedestal and being "an icon" of anyone. I just want humans and robots to face all their problems without whipping knives out on some crazy "Outsider" Greaser/Sosch rumble."

"Ok Pony Boy." Abercrombie snickered as he rubbed Astro's head. "But be honest with us Astro? How are we humans? From a robot view of things?"

Astro thought for a moment and snorted. "You're confusing, you cause me to kick cans and swear and your all bizaro. How the hell did we robots come from a mess up soup sandwich like you guys?"

Reno snickered back..."Ditto on you plastic ass."

Everyone laughed as Astro raised a slice of pizza. "Let's hear it for plastic asses!"

"HERE HERE!" Everyone replied...till Zoran looked behind herself..."I'm not happy at all...I don't have an ass to speak about."

Abercrombie shot soda out of his nose! "Oh thanks Zoran! Cough cough..."

"Don't even have ass guns." Zoran snorted. "No weapons at all...no rockets in my legs...I think it's sexual degradation. I'm gonna join #METOO and sue my brother's ass off."

Astro shook his head. "The reason Doctor O'Shay didn't give you weapons Zoran is because he never expected you to fight. I don't want you to get beat up...I'm the ugly one in the family, I'm supposed to get my butt dented...you? You're the cute and the smart one. Your heads built to be a very wonderful and smart girl not a brute."

Zoran huffed..."Oh?! So now you flat out admit that you're a sexist! You're just like any other boy! A stupid, cave dwelling, club swinging, knuckle dragging, snot dripping, dirt smelling neanderthal!"

Alejio jumped..."Oh shoot! Astro just hit the raging female switch in Zoran's butt!"

Zoran bit into a piece of pizza..."But you are my big brother so I must over look your inherent flaw and still love you."

"Man...I'm just getting it from everywhere this week." Astro sighed.

 **Port of Metro City**

 **The SS Princess North Star, Disney cruise ship**

 **6:24 pm Saturday**

The Captain reached for his bridge phone and flipped the switch to the Public Address System...

"Ladies and Gentlemen...as always children our honored guest...this is the Captain speaking. We've just cleared the dock and are now swinging around into the main channel out of Metro City for our cruise up to Hokkaido a very slow and fun five days. As your Captain and on behalf of the crew and the Walt Disney Corporation...we will do our beyond best to make your stay with us a wonderful time of enjoyment and entertainment. Once we're fully underway through the shipping channel, I'll be coming back with more details...Welcome aboard."

Putting his phone down, the Captain turned to his Helmsman...Steady as she goes Miss Ferris, One Quarter speed...made our course 265."

"Aye Sir...or should I reply with the Pirate vernacular aka Jack Sparrow?" Ferris replied as she set her controls to the orders.

"How about Treasure Island?" The Captain replied. "Why doesn't anyone remember that movie any more? Now the man who played Silver? That was a classic character pirate there..."

Suddenly...the ship shuddered as if it had hit something hard! The Captain was almost knocked into his own chair by the shock and saw the warning lights on his console lighting like a Christmas tree...

"Beeeep! Beeep! Beeep!" Came an alarm tone from his own phone.

"Bridge, Captain! What's going on Chief?" The Captain asked his Chief Engineer.

"Flooding in Engine room Two! Something hit us! Went clean through from Port to Starboard!" The frantic man replied...

The Captain turned to his radio man..."Call the Coast Guard! We've sustained collision damage! Notify the port authority we need tugs now!" He then turned to the helmsman. "Turn our nose to shore in case we have to run aground!"

The Captain then flipped the alarm switches and the Public Address System..."Now hear this! Now hear this! All passengers and crew members proceed to the main deck. Crew members assist the passengers in an orderly evacuation to the main deck. We have suffered some sort of damage in one of our engine rooms and we are working now to ensure your safety..."

Another violent jolt slammed into the ship and knocked everyone on the bridge off their feet! The internal communications speaker blared out..."We've been hit in engine room 2! Port and Starboard sides are holed through! We're flooding fast!"

The Captain stumbled against his console. "Close all watertight doors! Radio man alert Metro City Port Authority...this is no accident...we are under attack! Repeat! We are under attack!" Another shock threw the Captain to the floor as the helmsman now tried to steer the large ship towards the shore...

"Attempting to beach her Captain! She's not moving! Either the engines are dead or something's keeping us in deep water!" Ferris screamed.

"What's the depth?" The Captain begged.

"If we go down here...the main deck will be over-washed six feet!" Ferris cried. "The thrusters aren't turning Sir!"

 **Reno's apartment**

 **6:28 pm Saturday**

Toonami had just started and everyone had settled into their sitting places with Astro holding Zoran in his lap and giving her loving nuzzles which made her giggle at him when the television changed to an **NHK SPECIAL REPORT** screen...

" _ **This is a special news bulliten from NHK...NHK has received news that a Disney cruise ship The Princess North Star out of Metro City has come under some sort of assault by an as yet unknown assailant...The cruise liner was in the process of leaving Metro City's Port facilities when the attack began..."**_

"Fuck!" Reno snapped as he got up, snatched a pair of big binocullars off a work desk and ran to his big picture window..."Oh shit...she's listing really bad!"

Astro threw Zoran off his lap and ran to the window, quickly adjusting his powerful eyes to a close zoom focus..."I'm gone..."

Without another word...Astro pulled open the window, jumped out and blasted towards the harbor at high speed as Reno talked to him by radio...

"They're saying around 850 passengers and 389 crew total onboard, multiple hits in the hull below the water line, the JMSDF is scrambling patrol boats out of Yokohama. They think it's a submarine!" Reno yelped.

"It's no sub." Astro replied. "If they were torpedoes, the damage would be much worse. Something's punching through the hull. I'm almost there!"

 **Port of Metro City**

 **The SS Princess North Star, Disney cruise ship**

 **6:32 pm Saturday**

Astro flew into the ship's bridge and slid to a stop. "How bad is it?" He asked. "Then again? That may have been a real stupid question to ask huh?"

The Captain turned from talking on his phone..."We're taking on water fast, trying to counter flood so we stay even. We need to beach her before our main deck goes awash. We've been hit so fast and so hard that it's hard to keep an orderly evacuation to the main deck. We'll be bottomed out before the tugs even get here..."

Astro scowled. "I don't think so. What's the rate of flooding? How much time do I have to run the ship aground before she hits bottom?"

Ferris replied. "At this rate? About seven minutes."

Astro ran out of the bridge, blasted into the air, flew around to the stern and placed his hands flat palm against the steel...

"Going full power!" Astro screeched as he lit his afterburners and two hot trails of blue and yellow flame surged out of his legs!

 **Port of Metro City**

 **The SS Princess North Star, Disney cruise ship**

 **6:38 pm Saturday**

Atlas clopped down from his room into the living room..."What? I need a little peace to write my speech for that protest on Monday..."

"You gotta see this!" Bender snorted. "One of those big Disney cruise ships is sinking in the harbor and that drooler is trying to push it into the mud..."

Atlas stood watching the television. "What happened to the ship?" He asked.

"They think its' some sort of submarine from someplace...People are getting off the thing and the little drooler's still trying to push it? He's gonna burn himself out." Bender snorted.

Atlas shurgged at him. "Next time? Tell me when something real important happens? Without Astro involved in it?"

 **Port of Metro City**

 **The SS Princess North Star, Disney cruise ship**

 **6:42 pm Saturday**

Astro felt the bulbuss nose of the liner strike mud and got himself over the back rail of the main deck just as his engines died on him. He sat feeling completely drained of any energy and snorted at the melted baffles at the end of his legs...

"Ugh...Reno? I completely torched the engines." Astro said as he flopped back onto the deck and looked up at the Captain as he came running up..."Is it safe?"

"Yes..." The Captain replied. "The main deck will stay 20 feet above the water but..." The man's face showed horror...

Astro rolled onto his stomach..."What? Is it bad?"

"We lost ten crewmen in the engine rooms...a steam explosion killed seven of them and three men drowned when the water tight doors shut..."

Astro sat on his butt and shook his head..."Reno? Ten people are dead."

"You alright?" Reno asked.

"Right now I can't fly." Astro replied. "I'm gonna sit here till my legs cool down and if I can get my feet to de-retract...I'm going to stay and help find out how this all happened. For now the ship is grounded in the mud so it's not going to sink further."

 **End of part 6**


	7. Chapter 7

**_A Week-Reno-End_**

A Reno/Astro fan fiction

Preface: Astro's first meeting with Atlas becomes a weekend with Reno.

 **Part 7**

 **Port of Metro City**

 **The SS Princess North Star, Disney cruise ship**

 **Grounded at Kushima Point**

 **8:20 pm Saturday**

Astro let go of the police boat and floated down the side of the submerged hull of the Princess North Star to where one of the penetration holes was in Engine Room One...

"What do you see Astro?" Sargent Deutadi asked as he looked over the side of his boat.

"Well...it wasn't a submarine." Astro said. "The hole through the plating is neat...no explosion with a flower pattern of torn steel. It was going pretty fast when it punched through..." Astro fought to wiggle through the hole..."Sheeesh...I'm a fat ass!"

Deutadi chuckled despite the sadness of the situation. He covered his mouth to prevent anyone for seeing him..."Astro? No jokes ok? Please tell me if you run into...sigh...if you run into...the deceased?"

"I'm walking through the engine room now." Astro said. He stopped for a moment to look at a piece of equipment whatever it was passed through as it roared through the compartment. "I'm at a thrust assembly now...totally trashed. Coming to the other side now and the outbound hole in the other side of the engine room. Same as the..."

Astro stopped cold as he saw something caught in the jagged edges of the hole in the hull...he reached out and pulled it till it ripped away...

Holding it in his hands...Astro suddenly realized...horribly realized what the piece of cloth was. It was yellow with tying straps...a piece of Atlas's trademark Indian waist wrap...

"Astro? You alright down there?" Deutadi's voice asked in Astro's radio.

"Yeah!...yeah...I just thought I saw some paint or some kind of mark left behind by the thing?" Astro replied as he pulled off a moon boot, stuffed the remains of the Indian wrap down and then slipped his foot back inside..."Nothing...I can only say whatever it was? It was about my size around. I don't have anything to identify it."

Deutadi replied. "Well the Inspector's on the main deck right now so come back up."

Astro wiggled through the hole in the hull and for a moment he floated scowling and slamming a fist against the steel before he stopped to wipe his eyes and catch himself. Deutadi helped him back into the boat.

"So?...Same size as you?" The police officer asked.

Astro threw up a finger..."I said "around" and I know where you're going to go there Sarge so please don't? Not yet?"

"Astro, the boss has already made up his mind." Deutadi said calmly.

"Well I don't care." Astro snorted back. "There's no evidence yet...nadda...zilch...nothing, he can't just blurt out "Atlas did this!" without any proof."

Deutadi shook his head. "You're going to be a brat...aren't you?"

Astro huffed. "And he's a prick. so we're even score." Speaking of Towashi.

"Astro? Look at the facts...Atlas has this all over him? His mouth, his actions..." Deutadi tried to reason.

"I don't care..." Astro snorted. "There's no proof yet? Innocent until guilty?"

"DEUTADI!" Towashi yelled from the back part of the ship. "STOP TAKING A COFFEE BREAK AND BRING HIM UP HERE...NOW!"

Astro gave a long sigh and reached out for the ladder that hung from the side of the ship. "Can I claim it's a Saturday and that forcing me to listen to him screaming amounts to child abuse?"

"Just so you know?" Deutadi replied. "I am one with your suffering."

 **Reno's apartment**

 **9:45pm Saturday**

Alejio walked around Astro as he came through the apartment doorway..."Well everyone? Astro still has an ass."

Reno came up as Astro dropped into a chair and looked like he might start balling his eyes out. "You ok?" He asked.

"No..." Astro replied.

Reno looked around..."Give him a little bit ok everyone?" He asked the others and gestured them to go as Astro started sobbing."

"Hey...I know it must have been real bad..." Reno said as he cupped Astro's chin..."Come on... talk to me?"

"It's not because people died." Astro said as he pulled a moon boot off..."It's because I found this on one of the holes in the hull..."

Reno looked at the yellow shredded piece of Indian wrap and closed his eyes..."What...are you doing?"

Astro looked away...obviously he was struggling..."I...don't believe he could have done it..."

"That's not the issue Astro!" Reno yelped. "You took evidence from a crime scene...what the hell has gotten into you? I thought you weren't capable of something like this!"

"I thought I was too." Astro replied. "But...I can't believe that Atlas would do something this terrible!"

Reno grabbed at his hair..."Oh my God Astro...do you know what a serious shit storm you'll cause if it gets out that you hid evidence in a crime? Atlas already has a reputation the police can use as grounds for suspicion...you took evidence which makes you an accomplice...this is like...ugh...it's crazy!"

Astro sat in a chair and shuddered..."I just can't believe Atlas would do such a thing!"

"He's made threats...he's beaten the snot out of you...he's threatened to kill you...he's called humans all kinds of vile..." Reno snapped.

"I KNOW HE'S DONE ALL THAT! NOW SHUT THE FUCK UP!" Astro screamed as he stood up and stomped a foot...he then slapped his hands over his mouth...

Reno took a deep breath..."Now?...feeling better?"

Astro took his hands away and slumped..."I'm...sorry..."

"Sometimes you're just bizzaro, you know that?" Reno said as Abercrombie, Ken and Alejio heard Astro belt out and came running into the room...

"You alright?" Ken asked.

"No..." Astro replied as he showed the others the Indian wrap. "I guess this kinda causes a mess?"

Reno crossed his arms..."Astro pulled that off the sunken Disney ship. Atlas wears a wrap like that around his waist."

Abercrombie snorted..."Oh if that red colored bastard sank that ship? He needs to go down like tomorrow. Astro? You need to pound that slug into the concrete."

Astro rubbed his head. "Crombie? I don't think Atlas did it."

"You can't just say that and hold onto this thing Astro!" Alejio yelped. "They're probably plastering Atlas's face all over the news right now. He's kinda broadcasted that he's a terrorist creep."

Ken sighed..."You're putting robots in danger just by holding onto this thing Astro. If word gets out? The damage you'll cause yourself and robots in the eyes of humans will be permanent; is trying to protect Atlas worth the risk?"

"Is turning Atlas over to be torn apart when he may have done nothing wrong worth my...well I don't really know if I have a soul but...is that worth anything?" Astro closed his eyes to think and then looked at his friends...

"Guys...I love you all very much...you know that. But I'm a robot and as a robot I care for both my kind and you and sometimes it means I do things that well...are going to piss off a lot of people. I just don't think Atlas could have done something like this...call me stupid, confused, hacked...I just have to be sure a hundred percent." Astro gestured to them all. "I know...I see your faces."

Abercrombie snorted. "I think he's got you dreaming. You're going to put your trust in a robot who can lie his ass off? Who could kill any of us on a whim? And you want us to support you? That's what you're asking us too do?"

Astro slumped..."I guess I was expecting the answer."

Abercrombie reached out, snatched Astro in his arms and noogied him..."You're a lovable little idiot! How could we think of saying no? After all we all made a sort of blood brother oath?"

Ken tweeked Astro's nose. "When you're crazy...hang with crazy people."

Alejio huffed. "I think you're a stupid fool...then again we're just about equally stupid."

Everyone looked at Reno who huffed back at them. "Don't enlist me in your criminal conspiracy! I have a reputation, I have a job, I have a good life..."

Astro fell against Reno, giving him a hug with a serious puppy dog face of love..."Oh my God, I hate you Astro! I absolutely hate your jacked up face right now! Well good by good life, I'm a dumb ass too!"

Abercrombie pointed to the television. "Looks like Towashi's wasting no time. So just how are we going to find Atlas?"

 **The abandoned Nissan Plant**

 **9:45pm Saturday**

Bender dragged Atlas from his bedroom down to the living room..."You are in serious deep crap kid!"

"Bender! Let go of me!" Atlas huffed as Bender held him by the shoulders and pointed to the television. Atlas saw Inspector Towashi standing before a big picture of Atlas that was probably taken from his last brawl with Astro...

"This robot is Atlas!" Towashi snapped in a microphone. "He is our prime suspect in the sinking today of the Princess of the North Star in Metro City harbor which claimed the lives of ten people! The Metro City Police Department and the National Constabulary of Japan have put out a warrant of arrest on this robot! He is armed and extremely dangerous. He is fully capable of killing humans without a care! All Class 1 robots in Metro City are hearby ordered to report for deputization by the police to aid in hunting down and aprehending this dangerous robot!"

Atlas backed away from the television..."Me? I...I didn't sink that ship! Bender, I was with you the whole time! I didn't sink that ship!"

"You should tell them that kid...I don't think they're in a listening mood, after all...you have kinda given them a little red meat to chew on?"

"Yeah...but I didn't sink that ship!" Atlas shuddered. "They're going to come after me... They won't listen to me...you think those fat bag humans will give me a fair trial? I'm not letting those pieces of spam touch me...They're not going to rip my wires out...fuck them!"

Bender snatched Atlas by the arms..."This is no time to want to be a martyr to die by fricken cop!" Bender snapped. "Get up to your room and stay there!"

"Bender?" Atlas yelped.

"Get up to your room damn it!" Bender snapped back. "I'll be right back ok? Don't fricken move from your bed...got it?"

Bender watched Atlas vanish then went to the trap door, climbed down the ladder and started to walk towards his prized Dodge Charger as he pulled out a cell phone and tapped at the screen...

"Yo Fry? It's Bender." Bender said as his human partner at work Philip J Fry took the call aboard the Planet Express ship...

"What up Bender?" Fry replied.

"I need a seriously messed up favor from you and you owe me remember?" Bender snorted.

"Is it legal or seriously criminal? Like Robot Mafia criminal?" Fry asked.

"Man? Robot Mafia is pussy...this is Robot Mafia 2.0 with Apps criminal. And I need Hermes on this too so wake his Rasta butt up and meet me at the abandoned Nissan car plant in the industrial district."

 **Metro City Central Park**

 **10:25pm Saturday**

Astro stopped to switch off the annoying police beeper again and this time he sat on the grass with his chest door open, punching away on his small computer panel to block the signals...

"You can't keep doing that foreever." Reno sighed. "Towashi's going to send Delta's bots after you to haul you in."

"Well...I'll deal with that when it comes up." Astro said as he stood up.

"So how are we going to find Atlas in the city?" Ken asked as he pulled out a map. "He could be anywhere. I guess we could limit searching to just empty houses and abandoned buildings? But he's pretty smart and un-predictable so he could be just about anyplace."

Astro studied the map for a moment and took out a sharpie in his pocket. "Hmmmm?...dot...dot...

dot...dot...nope...dot...dot...dot...and...dot, dot, dot."

Reno cocked his head. "All the places you've fought him so far?"

"Yeeah...funny pattern huh?" Astro replied.

"Funny in that it looks like a wheel?" Abercrombie said scratching his head. "Oh come on...he couldn't be this simple?"

Astro drew lines to all the points and circled the center of what looked like a bike wheel with spokes..."Yeah...that easy."

Reno pursed his lips. "The Abandoned Nissan Car plant in the industrial district? He wanted you to figure this out."

"A trap!" Ken said with a finger wave. "You can't honestly be thinking of falling for this?"

"Ok..." Astro replied. "I'm totally stupid then?"

Alejio chimed in. "By now? Atlas has already heard he's being looked for. You know he'll probably swing first and not care what you say?"

"Then I'll swing first and bring him back to Reno's apartment kicking and screaming." Astro replied.

"You will NOT!" Reno sapped back. "No! No...no...no..."

"I can't like...shove him in my room closet?" Astro groaned.

"Take him too the tree house?" Ken said. "The last place the police would suspect he'd be in is there."

Everyone agreed and Astro pointed behind himself with a thumb. "I'm going to need you all to block for me as far as Towashi and the police are concerned."

"Don't worry...we can put something together." Abercrombie said as he leaned on Alejio. "Say squirt? What would you look like in black underwear and red boots?"

Alejio replied. "I dunno? I guess I'm about Astro's size and...wait a minute! Oh hell no! You're smoking ragweed Crombie! No!"

"I'll leave all of you to fill the details ok?" Astro said as he blasted off.

 **West end of Industrial Plazza**

 **11:00pm Saturday**

Bender and Atlas got out of the Charger as Philip Fry and Hermes Conrad came walking up...

"Holy shipborne Swiss Cheese! It's the terrorist termite!" Hermes snapped as he pulled out his cell phone and tried to dial 911. Atlas quickly snatched it and broke it under his foot..."That was a 900 dollar S-9 you Disney cruise stomping tomato!"

"Over rated." Atlas replied. "So what with these guys Bender?"

"They are gonna help me hide you." Bender replied.

"We ain't helpin no offender friend of yours Bender." Hermes snorted.

"Guys? He didn't do the deed. He was with me the whole time it happened. Have I ever lied to you guys at all?" Bender begged.

"Ye stretched the truth." Hermes snorted.

"A minor distortion to prevent greater chaos." Bender replied. "Seriously guys...Atlas here is innocent but I don't think anyone will believe him. Until we can find the real culprit, we gotta hide him."

"Good luck with that idea Bender." Fry said pointing. "The kid's bright red, he stands out like a flag in an empty field."

"He won't after you two give him a diffeent identity. Fry? Time to bring out your inner Ru Paul. I want you to turn my friend Atlas here...into my little cousin Ashley." Bender said rubbing his hand in Atlas's golden hair...

"WHAT?!" Atlas snapped. "Ashley what?! NO! No and damn you no! I am NOT dressing up as a girl! NO!"

"Stop with the act there drama queen. It's you wear a dress or you get flat under a press...what do you want? Fry's gonna change your looks and Hermes is going to make you document approved. I don't think YOU got a choice in the whole matter there pup."

Atlas stood with his arms cross with a pout on his face..."You...suck Bender."

"Kid? I'm trying to save your skin here." Bender begged.

Atlas sighed..."Oh if it gets out I did this? Ugh...that little jerk Astro will soak it up for all he can get. I'll be a joke."

"At least you'll be alive to laugh at it." Fry said waving a hand.

"Oh...go jump off something you stupid flesh bag!" Atlas snapped back.

End of Part 7


	8. Chapter 8

**_A Week-Reno-End_**

A Reno/Astro fan fiction

Preface: Astro's first meeting with Atlas becomes a weekend with Reno.

 **Part 8**

 **Tokugawa Mansion**

11:00pm Saturday

Daichi was about to grab his backpck and leave for the races in Ayase City when his cell phone buzzed in his shirt pocket...

"Hello?" The Ginger haired teen said.

"Hi." Astro replied. "Obviously I can't make it tonight."

"I know.." Daichi replied. "I saw the news. That little bastard."

"That's why I'm calling you." Astro replied. "I need your help."

Daichi rubbed his hair. "You're asking me to miss the finals for the season to help you?"

"Should I start pleading?" Astro asked.

"What is it?" Daichi asked.

"Do you have robot stopping plasma guns?" Astro asked.

"Gee...my dad is Big Tokugawa...do you think he doesn't have an arsenal?" Daichi snorted.

Astro was sitting a few blocks from the Nissan plant behind a row of bushes. "I think I know where Atlas is hiding out and I need back up to search the place."

"Call the cops?" Daichi replied.

"It's not that simple." Astro said as he looked over the top of a bush..."I know you're gonna be very angry with me...and that's ok but...I don't think Atlas sank that ship and I need your help to sort of back me up? I wanna try talking to him."

Daichi snorted back. "You're a dumb little bastard."

"Hey! I didn't think I warranted insults ok?!" Astro snapped. "I need your help!"

"He's a maniac!" Daichi snapped. "He's a dangerous, lying, smooth talking little maniac who's got all the robots in Metro City stirred up now against "my Father" Astro! And for what damn good? And here you are just as "mentally jutsu" messed up by his lips. He...will...rip...you...apart!"

Astro closed his eyes..."Daichi? Are you going to help me or what? If he did it, then he's going to pay for it but if he didn't?...Father or no father? Even you believe in the law don't you?"

Daichi sat on his bed...

"It's what "your mother" taught you? Isn't it?" Astro begged.

Daichi snorted back..."Oh you little manipulative prick."

"I know you like a clock?" Astro said as Daichi got up.

"Let me get some things and a rifle first. Where do you want to meet?" Daichi asked.

"Mmmmm? Chitose and 45th streets...and DON'T call the police!" Astro huffed. "Don't!"

"I'm not going to call the cops ok?" Daichi said as he started going through a large walk in closet.

"And the rifle can only incapacitate Daichi...not kill." Astro demanded.

"I'm sticking my neck out as a human, you know that?" Daichi worried.

"He won't get an inch near your nice hair...trust me." Astro said with a giggle. "See you soon."

 **Planet Express Headquarters**

 **Eastern Industrial District**

11:40pm Saturday

Atlas came walking out of the room with a serious look of hate on his face. He was no longer all red colored...at least the parts of him that showed were human skin colored. His gold blonde hair was brushed and shaped out to be more girlish looking, his eye lashes were made longer with implants and he wore a single red dress, a pair of red girls shoes with long pink knee socks and a red hair tie over his forehead...

His face was so hot that he could probably vaporize eggs let alone cook a steak...

He scowled at Bender..."One word out of you?"

"Not bad there Fry." Bender said as he looked over Atlas.

"I'm surprised he even let me touch him." Philip said as he showed off a mangled brush. "At least it'll hide you for the time being."

Atlas moaned. "Like I'll be able to find the real criminal like this..."

Hermes walked up and showed Atlas some of the false documents..."School identification. Manufacture proof documents. Place of residence. Immigration forms. You're new name is Niki. You're an immigrant robot from Bazarkhan who sought refuge in Japan. You currently live with me and my wife and Philip is your guardian executor while you become accustomed to Japanese culture."

Atlas sighed as he took the papers..."Someone framed me. After ten humans died, who's gonna want to even speak to me?"

Bender pointed to the television. "Maybe you should come see this before you decide your life's over kid?"

Atlas walked up to the television and saw the news report of a crowd of robots standing outside the Metro City Police Station...

"This is Yoshi Mada of NHK here in Metro City. Hundreds of robots have been gathering outside the main headquarters now and more seem to be arriving. At issue for them is the police order which was put out not a few hours ago for the apprehension of a robot named Atlas on suspicious of being the one which caused the sinking of the Disney Cruise liner Princess of the North Star which resulted in the deaths of ten people. Here the obvious leader of the robots, the popular head of the Robot Long Shoreman's Union...Bugs Molly B...is calling on Police Chief Inspector Towashi to prove he has evidence of Atlas's involvement."

Bugs was standing on the head of a robot with a megaphone held up to his small spider like body. He had his trademark Navy Sailor's hat cocked forward on his head..."WE WANT TO SEE THE EVIDENCE! IF ATLAS DID IT? THEN SHOW US THE EVIDENCE TOWASHI?! WHERE'S THE EVIDENCE!"

The assembled robots started screaming...EVIDENCE! EVIDENCE! WHERE IS THE EVIDENCE!" over and over again with some robots screaming out swears and curses...

"YOU'RE A LYING BULL SHIT ARTIST TOWASHI!"

"RACIST BASTARD! WHERE'S THE EVIDENCE!"

"WE'RE NOT LEAVING TILL WE SEE PROOF!"

"WE WILL NOT HAND OVER ATLAS TO THE HUMANS!"

Atlas felt a wash of emotions and covered his face with his hands..."I can't...I can't do this. I can't live like this the rest of my life."

Bender grabbed Atlas's hands and pulled them off his tear filled face. "Damn it Atlas! Get a hold of yourself! This is exactly what we've been waiting for! Every robot in Metro City is pulling for you."

"But this could get out of control. That's not what I want! I should turn myself in..." Atlas said shaking his head.

"Damn it!" Bender snapped. "If you turn yourself in kid? They will kill you! You're not going to get a fair trial with the humans? Those flesh bags want blood and oil right now and your the can they want to stab with a funnel...don't let them fool you!"

Atlas threw off bender's hands and ran for the door..."Everybody...just leave me alone!"

Hermes stood shaking his head. "That poor robot...he's got serious PMS."

"He's a boy Hermes, we don't have PMS." Philip said.

"Actually? Robots really don't have a defined gender." Bender said. "So Atlas? Yeah...super calafragelistic PMS."

 **Planet Express Headquarters**

 **Chitose and 45th streets**

 **5 blocks from the Nissan Plant**

12:03 am Sunday

Astro ran up to the hover bike as Daichi climbed off and stood playing with his lips as the teen unzipped a bag on the carry rack and whipped out an automatic plasma rifle...

"Wow...cool body armor." Astro said as he rubbed his hand over the hard surface of the red colored full body armor Daichi was wearing...

"Fricken cool isn't it?" Daichi said. "The latest in Chobem Kevlar. Will absorb and reflect pulse blasts and deflects NATO weapons rounds. A pretty good match for Atlas...cept for brute strength."

Daichi cocked the charging handle on the rifle. "M-997 auto-rifle with under slung grenade launcher...non-lethal EMP gun...as promised."

Astro nodded approvingly and used his radio..."Reno? You still up? Daichi's with me right now."

"Yeah." Reno replied. "The others are sleeping in my bedroom. Ken will take over in a few hours. I launched the Shebata drone a few minutes ago; it should be over you in another ten minutes."

Daichi scratched his chin..."What's the plan here?"

"There's like five buildings on the property to go through." Astro said. "I'm guessing if he has a hideout in there? It's going to be in the main factory building or the administration/records building...best guess when I crunch the numbers? You take the records building, I take the factory. Reno's drone handles the over-watch."

Daichi nodded. "And if I run into Atlas?"

"Be submissive." Astro said. "Trust me...as long as you show you're not a big threat, he won't touch you...I promise."

Daichi waved his hands with sarcasm. "Duh? I'm not exactly a small threat here?"

"We have to do this fast and hopefully catch Atlas before Towashi or Delta's SWAT team get the idea to come here themselves." Astro said as he lit off his boots and hovered off the ground. "Be careful and stay in contact ok?"

Daichi waved and then bolted from behind the bushes and down the short stretch off cross streets to a corner opposite of the old factory compound. He dropped a pair of night vision goggles over his eyes and ran across a street to a broken door on the old Headquarters/administrations building. "I'm at the HQ building now Astro. Where are you at now?"

"On the roof of the factory looking through the sky transom." Astro replied. He click on his internal radio and called Reno..."We're starting to go through the buildings now Reno...anything from your view?"

"Drone's at 1,000 feet." Reno replied. "No activity around the factory. You're clear so far."

 **Industrial District**

12:20 am Sunday

Bender snorted as he slowed his Charger and leaned out the window. "That fracky little kid...I swear he's got some unpredictable emotions."

"What's his background anyways?" Hermes asked. "He's about as anti-hero as Snake Plisken hating himself."

"He's got bad rubs with humans." Bender replied. "You think I have issues with humans? This kid makes me look like a lovable candy man."

"Why do you even hang with him Bender?" Fry asked from the back seat. "You ask me? I think a steel belt is in order. No wonder people might think he torpedoed a ship."

"Well he didn't Fry! And I hang with him because he needs someone who cares and trust me I do care. though it gets very difficult at times...like right now. We gotta find him before the cops do." Bender said as he turned onto a street and quickly pulled the car over..."Shit...speak of the blue wall of steel? There's the DELTA squad down the street."

 **Nissan Plant**

 **HQ Building**

12:20 am Sunday

"WHAM!" Daichi kicked open a door and brought up his rifle as he moved into a large empty room..."Cleared another room...he's been in the building. I've found STP oil cans with fresh oil remnants in them. How about you Astro?"

 **Nissan Plant**

 **Factory**

12:20 am Sunday

Astro walked out of a room and stood on the open main floor. "Nothing here so far. Reno?"

Reno replied from his apartment..."Be careful...The DELTA unit just showed up in the industrial district. They're seven blocks from you guys right now."

Astro sighed as he looked up. "I should fly to them and try to send them somewhere else." He then focused his eyes on a loft built into the ceiling of the factory. "Huh? Curtains in an abandoned building?"

Astro lit off his rocket legs and flew up to a hover outside a window of the loft..."Hey Daichi? I found a fully furnished place inside the factory." He then flew around till he found the trap door with a padlock on a hasp. "Someone's living in here. There's a padlock and it looks pretty new."

"Wait till I get there." Daichi replied.

"Why wait?" Astro said as he fumbled through his pockets. "Always have the right tools with you, I say." Astro started to pick at the lock. "You realize that if I got deputized, I couldn't do this right now?"

"Well stop doing it till I get there! We don't know if someone's not going to pop in on us!" Daichi snapped as he ran across the space between the HQ building and the factory.

"Click!"..."Well too late. I opened the lock." Astro said as he put his little tool back into his pocket and climbed up through the trap door.

 **A building roof**

 **Industrial district**

12:20 am Sunday

Atlas sat frowning and looking at himself..."This is so stupid." He snorted. "Some one frames me and I'm left dressed like a girl...this sucks." He thought who the culprit could be...

"Tokugawa?...Hmmm...would he really risk his reputation if he got caught?" Atlas brooded. "Maybe his stupid brat? He looks two faced enough but he doesn't have Big Toke's muscle."

"Astro? Yeah right..." Atlas huffed.

"Skunk Kusai?" Atlas gave him a moment of thought. "If he could hook up with Doctor Gel?..." Atlas then punched the roof..."Of course...! Then how? Where could those two bastards have gotten a submarine with torpedoes?"

Atlas got up and started pacing around..."Unless? They used a UAV...or...or another robot? That, I wouldn't put past Gel to do..."

Suddenly the sight of flying police car with all it's lights going caused Atlas to drop flat on the roof! "Shit! The whole city's going to be swimming in cops before too long...I gotta find another place to hunker down till I figure out how Gel and Skunk pulled this off."

 **Atlas's Hid-a-way**

 **Nissan Factory**

12:34 am Sunday

Astro climbed the short stairway to Atlas's room. "Daichi? You in the Factory yet?" He asked as he looked among the books and poked around the toys and other clutter...

"I'm on the main floor right now." Daichi said as he found a place to hide himself from view. "Is this Atlas's hideout?"

"Yeah..." Astro said as he paused to look through what looked like a note book and then quickly he placed it back where he found it...

"Reno? I found Atlas's diary." Astro said. "I know where he's hiding out."

"We should tell the police." Reno replied. "Take the diary with you."

"I'm not stealing his diary!" Astro replied. "And don't you call the police. I've begged you not to even think of it."

"Astro? He's got national warrants out on him now. The city's surging with police. It's not going to be long until they come to the factory and find out he's hiding there. You're putting yourself in big trouble..." Reno begged.

"Ok then I'll be in big trouble, what's new?" Astro huffed. "Where are the police now in the industrial district?"

"They're closing in three directions." Reno replied. "You two need to get out of there like yesterday."

Astro took one last look around the bedroom, making sure everything was back where he found it before he flew out of the trap door and snapped the lock shut. He them dropped to the floor as Daichi came running up...

"I'll take you on my bike. If we get pulled over, at least we have an excuse." Daichi said as he wrapped his arms around Astro's neck..."take off!"

 **3 blocks from Atlas's Hid-a-way**

 **Nissan Factory**

12:34 am Sunday

Atlas hid himself behind a dumpster as a pair of Delta SWAT robots passed by on a police jeep on the street. Things had become too perilous to get back to the factory so he walked in the opposite direction trying to figure things out when a hover bike suddenly dropped onto the street as Atlas started to cross it...

"Huh? Oh shit." Atlas snorted to himself. "Astro? And who's the creep with him?" Atlas was getting ready to start throwing punches as Astro walked up...

"Hi." Astro said with a wave. "What are you doing out here at night? This is a real dangerous place if you didn't know it by now?"

The person Astro had been riding with came walking up and removed his helmet. "What's your name?"

Atlas sighed to himself..."They don't know who I am?" Atlas rubbed his arms and played with his lips..."I'm lost." He said, trying to sound and look girlish..."I ran away from my humans..."

"Were they hurting you?" Astro asked as he put out a hand. "We won't hurt you. I'm Astro Tenma and this is Daichi."

"I'm Niki." Atlas replied. "No...no my humans are nice people really...I'm just...oh I don't know if I'm being silly or difficult? Japan is very new to me and I guess I'm just not comfortable being here yet."

"Where do you live?" Daichi asked.

"To be honest? I'm not very sure. This city is so different than my village in Bazarkhan." Atlas replied.

Astro took Atlas by the hand and pointed with his thumb. "How about you come back with me to a friend's place for the rest of the night? We'll try to contact your humans in the morning and tell them where they come get you?"

Atlas sighed..."Are you sure I won't be too much trouble for you?"

"Not at all." Astro replied. "You'll like my friends, they're good people."

"ALL OF YOU! STAND WHERE YOU ARE!" Aloud voice suddenly pierced the darkness of the street and up walked Delta, the Commander of the Metro City Robot SWAT division, with two of his officers. "Astro? Daichi Tokugawa?...Mind explaining yourselves? What are you doing in the Industrial District at this time? Astro? Do you know that the Inspector has been calling for you? He is NOT happy with you at all."

Astro stood wiping a foot on the ground..."I promised Daichi that I would go to the hover bike drag race finals tonight but the bike broke down and I just spent the last hour fixing it so we missed it. As for the Inspector? Last time I checked, he has to have a felony arrest warrant legalized by the City supreme judge before he can ask the Ministry for me to be deputized. Has he done that yet?"

Delta replied. "We have a warrant to arrest Atlas for questioning as he is considered a prime suspect in the terrible events of yesterday. If he would turn himself over to us and he's innocent with a credible alibi, he would not be held long."

Atlas snorted under his breath..."Yeah...right prick-bot."

"Who is the young lady Astro?" Delta asked.

"My cousin." Astro replied. "She was designed by Doctor Tenma as a test robot to provide comfort to elderly women. I was inviting her to the races"

Atlas almost had his mouth drop..."Well played! And he can lie? I thought Astro wasn't capable beyond white lies?"

Delta gave Atlas a close look and passed him by. "We're continuing our search. You all had better return to your homes and remain there until public address makes the streets clear. Law enforcement units will be sweeping the city all night and into the morning."

Daichi waved and smiled. "No problem. I'm going to drop off Astro and his cousin now. Thank you for your great service to our city Delta."

Delta gave Daichi a warning finger. "You had better heed the warning Tokugawa. You're felonious behavior is not escaping the watch of law enforcement."

Daichi huffed. "Felonious what? Come again? Felonious bull shit."

Astro got in front of the angry Daichi and pushed him toward his bike. "We don't need to get stupid ok Daichi...giggles...Bye Delta. Niki? You coming?"

Atlas shook himself out of his stupor. "Oh! Oh yes...sorry...I was just admiring this big strong officer of the law."

Astro snorted. "Do you always have boys on the brains Niki?"

 **Ministry of Science roof top**

1 am Sunday

Astro helped Atlas off the bike and patted Daichi's shoulder. "Sorry you missed the finals tonight."

"Guess it was for a good cause." Daichi replied. "But I'm warning you Astro. Atlas could play you for everything you're worth only to turn on you and rip you apart. Be careful? Don't blindly trust every thing he tries to bull shit you with?"

Atlas scowled..."Fuck you Tokugawa creep."

Astro sighed. "You nor anyone is likely to change my thinking Daichi. I just refuse to believe Atlas would do such a thing. But I'll be careful." Astro waved goodbye to Daichi as Atlas stood looking submissive behind him...

"It's very nice of you to be so kind." Atlas said as Niki. "But...who's this Atlas and why is everyone after him?"

Astro smiled back. "It's a long story. People are accusing Atlas of sinking a ship in the harbor...ten of the humans who were crew-members died. But I don't think he did it. He wouldn't have done it."

Atlas was shocked. "But other people seem to think he did it? He sounds like a bad robot."

"Well I'm not "those people". I don't go with crowds, I go with facts and facts tell me that Atlas isn't as bad as people make him to be. I think he's just lonely and he needs to realize that someone honestly cares about him."

Atlas sighed..."No one cared about me back in Bazarkhan." He said as Nki. "Robots are nothing but disposable trash there...or bodies for catching bullets..."

Atlas was telling the truth about Bazarkhan as far as how robots were used. When Astro wrapped his arms around him and slowly rubbed his hair...Atlas didn't know if he should start swinging...

"I care." Astro replied. "And my friends certainly share what I feel." He pulled Atlas along to the trap door over Reno's apartment. "Trust me...my friends are way super cool."

end of part 8


	9. Chapter 9

**_A Week-Reno-End_**

A Reno/Astro fan fiction

Preface: Astro's first meeting with Atlas becomes a weekend with Reno.

 **Part 9**

 **Hide out of Doctor Gel and Skunk Kusai**

1 am Sunday

"My applause to you Doctor." A voice said into the phone as Gel sat swirling a glass of wine in his hand. "Your device had the desired effect. Our little growing problem child has been stomped into silence but I believe one more event will turn things to our favor and take out the other troublesome wind-up toy we deal with."

Skunk waved a doubting finger in Gel's direction and the Doctor for a moment gave thought to the person's query...

"Dear Sir...I think to be so hasty in following up the ship incident with another event my bring upon us some unwanted heat. Unless...you're willing to compensate our risk?" Gel waited for the reply with a smile.

"Fine then! Anything to raise the heat level around here against this growing robot rush for power. We will plan where to strike next and how to drag your other little problem child into it for your benefit. We will talk later...good night Sir." Gel put the phone down and paced about the room as Skunk stood with his hands in the pockets of his long coat. "Maybe a bombing is in order? That's simple enough without risking Mordrid don't you think?"

"Too simple..." Gel replied. "And bombings are often to messy. "But...Atlas did mess with a train already once so...we could derail one...perhaps inside a station and strategically place explosives to cause further chaos. But first? I think a little propaganda film is in order for delivery to Inspector Towashi. Let's set the stage to discredit Atlas in the eyes of his adoring robot public."

Skunk nodded. "Leave that too me...always wanted to be a big time Hollywood director you know."

 **Part 9**

 **Reno's apartment**

1:15 am Sunday

"So...this is Niki. She's originally from Bazarkhan but she came here to Japan and she's a little unsettled so with all the crazy stuff going on I thought she could stay here and we'd take her home in the morning." Astro said as he introduced Niki to the others...of course Atlas already knew them all...

"I'm Reno. If you want anything, just ask me. I'll make you a place to sleep." Reno said with a wave.

"This is Kenichi Kennedy, Alejio Ugami and Abercrombie Shintaro. They're from my school." Astro said as he introduced his friends. Ken and Alejio were cool to Atlas...Abercrombie he thought of as a big mouthed jerk...

"So what do you all think of this Atlas?" Atlas asked, wanting to see what the opinions of Astro's close friends was going to be like...

"Well if Astro feels strongly that Atlas isn't really bad, I don't normally go against him." Ken said. "He has a good streak of being right."

"My interest is mechanical." Alejio said smiling. "I actually agree with Atlas with some things about humans, specially the adults...some of them are a bit empty headed."

Abercrombie crossed his arms..."I'm probably the only one who doesn't feel comfortable here. Atlas has been making threats and I think he's going overboard on his anti-human stuff and he's going to get a good hard spank back if he doesn't tone it down. But I'll always back Astro up."

Atlas thought to himself..."Fair thinking...at least there's proof I got some humans to think about their own kind. And these guys aren't bad at all, specially Ken...I actually like him as a human. I just wish Astro would stop being such a chicken soup can...ugh...his sweet talk is like scraping a chalk board..."

"Look guys?" Reno said waving a hand. "It's kind getting late and we should all get a little sleep? Niki? If you need to...you know...have some privacy? We will all go into my room so you can get in bed?"

As the boys started to walk off...Atlas grabbed Astro's hand..."Please stay?"

Atlas watched as the others went into Reno's room then he led Astro to where Reno had set up a bed and patted it..."Sit down Astro?"

"Ok." Astro sat and Niki placed a hand on his thigh...

"Astro? I like you? I mean I really like you a lot? But...there's something you should know..." Niki said as she began to unbutton the top of her dress...

"Woe!" Astro reacted and grabbed her hands. "Niki?! Um...well?...um?...this is...kinda silly...you know..."

Niki slowly dropped her dress top and Astro almost shot to his feet when he saw the red skin of Atlas's chest!

"AH!" Atlas jumped to his feet, caught Astro by his neck and slammed him hard down on the mattress! Clamping a hand over Astro's mouth, Atlas pointed the end of his morphed surge cannon arm against Astro's head!

"One sound! One peep and I will litter this room with your brain parts...do you understand?" Atlas snapped. "Say yes Astro!" He said quietly.

Astro nodded as Atlas backed away a little...then Astro slapped the red boy bot hard in the face and snorted quietly..."What the hell? Why are you dressed like a girl?!"

"What else can I do you stupid slug?!" Atlas snapped back as he pulled the dress top back up.

"Did you sink that ship?!" Astro huffed.

"NO! I didn't sink that ship!" Atlas replied. "I was with my friend Bender, he can vouch for me. I'd never do something that stupid!"

"Well you can sure lie about that...can't you?!" Astro huffed.

"You don't believe I'd do it!" Atlas snapped. "You said it yourself so are you the one who's lying?"

Astro pulled at the dress..."This isn't a solution to the problem Atlas! This has "I'm guilty as sin" all over it!"

"And if I turn myself in right now? Can you honestly promise me that I will have a fair trial?" Atlas replied snorting. "Can you?"

Astro was silent...

"Yeah...I knew as much." Atlas snorted. "So much for "rights" huh? Even you know that piece of paper is about as much worth as toilet paper when it comes to the powerful in Metro City."

Astro sighed..."So who could have done it?"

"A prick named Doctor Gel...and Skunk Kusai. And of course a ton of support money to pay for a good Judas goat." Atlas snapped as he stood up. "Do you think I like having to do this? I can't even go out and hunt the bastards trying to frame me."

Astro stood up and crossed his arms..."You look cute enough to kiss. Like the panties too."

"You little fricken pervert!" Atlas snapped.

Astro laughed..."Social media would love this."

"You blackmailing little bastard..." Atlas snarled.

"Don't worry Atlas." Astro said waving hand. "I wouldn't if I could. But my friends are right; you did trap yourself into this with your own words and actions. But...I suspect you really couldn't control any of that because you've been abused."

Atlas sighed and sat on the bed..."You...you don't even understand."

"I would if you'd trust me?" Astro replied. "I want to help you. Honestly you and I are not opposites even if you think? Why won't you let me help you?"

Atlas laid on the bed..."I don't want to talk to you right now...I'm tired, I'm angry and I'm very upset. I just want to get back to Bender and then we can go from there..."

Astro sighed..."Atlas?"

"Good night...Astro?" Atlas snorted. "Leave me...the fuck...alone?"

Astro backed away but he didn't go far. Climbing into a nearby recliner, he looked over at the bed and wiped a tear from his eye before he dozed off. He wasn't asleep a couple of hours before a hand gently rocked his shoulder...

"Hey?" Atlas said as he stood rubbing his arms..."I do look stupid, don't I?"

Astro smirked. "I think you look adorable."

Atlas bopped him off the head. "Dork!" He snorted as he sat on the floor. "Look...I'm sorry I was such an ass earlier."

"You're an ass all the time. What's the difference?" Astro replied.

Atlas huffed and waved his arms..."See what I'm talking about? Come on! Get angry with me! Pick a fight? Use some swears? Grow a pair will you?"

"Why are you always trying to pick a fight with me?" Astro asked. "Why do you want to beat me to a scrap ball?"

"Because you need to toughen up!" Atlas huffed, then he slapped his mouth. "I hope I don't wake people up?"

Astro climbed onto the arm rest of the chair and sat swinging his feet. "This Doctor Gel? Did he abuse you?"

"Partially." Atlas snorted back. "Skunk Kusai was the main pipe swinger...as in I ate pipe every day. If I didn't meet expectations? I expected to get beaten. One day I just lost it. Ever since? Humans could set themselves on fire and I wouldn't bat an eye for them. So...I decided to "declare war" for a better term. I saw you as a rival I could over come so I could shoot fear into the hearts of the humans."

Astro sighed. "You hate me."

"No...no...well...at first I thought you were such a pussy foot that I wouldn't need to do much to overthrow you before all the humans; a real serious underestimation of your abilities." Atlas said. "Then your super sweet charm threw me into a rage. Your un-offensive behavior...really pissed me off."

"Giggles"...Astro chuckled..."You're not the only one who makes that observation trust me. My sister?" Astro pointed to Reno's bed room. "Thinks I should wear ballet slippers instead of moon boots."

Atlas looked down at his dress and quickly started pulling it off..."I can't believe I talked myself into dressing like this!"

Astro snickered with a point. "You look so cute in those panties."

"Oh fuck you dufus!" Atlas snapped as he tossed the panties away. "Ugh...at least you're cracking some insults so your not a total dorkus."

Astro placed his head on his hands as he bent..."Do you think Gel is responsible for the ship sinking?"

"No doubt." Atlas replied. "And it wasn't a submarine or did you figure that out?"

"Not the standard diameter of a torpedo." Astro replied. "No explosive and it was moving at too high rate of speed beyond a normal torpedo to cause all that hull damage."

"I wouldn't put it past Doctor Gel to make a super strong UAV." Atlas said as he thought. "How big was the diameter?"

Astro motioned with his hands at first then put his arms in the air..."Oh?...bout my size."

"Fuck." Atlas snorted as he stood up from the bed. "He made another robot."

Atlas started to walk when Astro grabbed him by the arm. "Could he do that?" Astro asked.

"Duh...yeeah?" Atlas said as he gestured to himself. "I should have suspected that much."

Astro looked at his hand holding Atlas's arm..."I thought you throw a fist?"

"Knowing what Gel is capable of doing?" Atlas replied. "Call this a temporary sort of cease fire."

Astro looked back towards Reno's bedroom door. "I think for now at least? You should keep up the ruse with the others. Just in case Towashi decides to come here?"

"And what are you going to do?" Atlas asked.

"Well?" Astro thought. "It's almost 6am so I'm gonna go run and get some things to cook breakfast."

"I don't eat human food." Atlas snorted.

"Then I'll buy you a six pack of STP ok? Sheesh...are you always so butt tight?"

Atlas huffed back. "You hang around these humans too much. You're vocabulary is starting to become rough. You better remember that you have an image to uphold?"

Astro snickered back. "Easy for you too say there...Niki."

"Oh bit me." Atlas snapped. "When this is over? You and I are going to finish our little business with each other."

Astro clasped his hands together and made a doll face..."Oh? Is that a date?"

"Get out of here!" Atlas pushed. "Go before they wake up?"

 **End of part 9**


	10. Chapter 10

**_A Week-Reno-End_**

A Reno/Astro fan fiction

Preface: Astro's first meeting with Atlas becomes a weekend with Reno.

 **Part 10**

 **Reno's Aprtment**

7 am Sunday

Astro came walking through the door with grocery bags in his hands and found everyone up in front of the television in Reno's living room...

"I got everything for breakfast everybody." Astro said cheerfully but no one replied. In fact, they all had stunned faces glued to the television...

"You better put those down and come here Astro." Reno beckoned. Astro took one look of Atlas's face and realized something was very wrong. Astro walked to the television and watched the NHK broadcast...

 **NHK NEWS ALERT...**

 _ **Once again ladies and gentlemen if you are just joining our coverage, we are reporting from metro City of a serious train derailment into the Kansai Line receiving area of the Shinkansen at Metro City station. The seven car train was about to pass through the station at 130 miles per hour when it derailed disasterously without warning. The toll of life at the moment is horrendous. The Chief Inspector of Metro City Police who as of last night was conducting an extensive search of the city for a known robot terrorist is saying now that the city will go on Castle Bravo alert status step one as of five minutes ago..**_.

Astro cupped a hand over his mouth and seemed to shiver for a moment before he looked at Reno. "How? How many? Did anyone die?"

Reno sagged..."Seventy three people so far..."

Astro looked at Atlas who gave him a stunned and shaking head back...

"Did they say it was Atlas?" Astro asked.

"They haven't said anything yet." Ken replied. "But Atlas would probably be prime suspect number one right now."

Atlas as Nicky looked at Astro..."It would be a logical assumption."

"There's nothing logical about it until they have proof!" Astro snapped back. "I'm surprised I'm not getting radio calls yet over this from the Doctor or anyone!"

"Relax Astro." Alejio gestured to the television. "If we're in Castle Bravo right now, there's nothing any of us can do any way."

Astro flopped on the floor..."They're going to hunt Atlas down like a dog now, don't they know it will only make things worse?"

Suddenly...Atlas perked up and without another word got up and pulled Astro to his feet. "Gasp!" We have to hide you like right now!"

"Niki?!" Astro gasped.

"Will you cut out the Nikki bull crap!" Atlas snapped, which brought everyone else to their feet!

"Atlas?" Zoran huffed. "Why are you dressed like a girl?"

"Will someone tell me where I can stuff him!" Atlas gasped as he pointed at Astro.

Alejio pointed to the ceiling. "The air vent!"

Atlas quickly blasted to the ceiling, ripped the air vent cover off the vent shaft and pushed and bumped Astro inside...

"WHAT THE HELL ATLAS!" Astro protested.

"Just get in there and turn yourself off stupid!" Atlas snapped back as he slammed the cover on the shaft and welded it in place. Then he landed and waved his arms..."Everyone act normal! You open your traps and so help you I'll be really fricken pissed off!"

Reno snapped. "You can't tell..."

Atlas snatched the teen engineer off his feet and threw him into a lounge chair..."Shut... your... stupid...trap!" He snapped then he plopped himself on the floor.

Zoran leaned over and snickered..."Your taste in dresses really sucks."

"Who asked for your opinion you mouthy short cake?" Atlas huffed in reply.

"WHAM! WHAM! WHAM!" Came a loud banging at the door. "OPEN UP TAKAHASHI! IT'S THE POLICE AND WE HAVE A WARRENT!"

Reno looked over at Atlas who gestured him to open the door. Reno opened it to see Sargent Deutadi, the Inspector and two DELTA SWAT robots behind them...

"Has Astro been here?" Deutadi asked.

"No..." Reno replied. "Not since around midnight last night."

Atlas grimaced and thought. "Oh way to flap off you stupid little shit!"

Towashi ordered. "All of you get out of here now! We have a search warrant!"

Reno snapped back. "I have a right to know the reason for your search of my home Inspector!"

"We also have a warrant for an arrest...for Astro's arrest for terrorist collusion." Towashi warned. "Don't get in our way Takahashi. We're just as bewildered as you are right now but orders are orders."

Reno and the others walked out of the apartment as the Police tore into it..."YOU BREAK ANYTHING AND I'LL SUE ALL YOUR ASSES!" Reno snapped.

Atlas gently patted the angry teen on the chest..."Don't antagonize them please?"

Reno snarled back. "Don't tell me what to do..."Niki"

"Well don't be a little bitch..."Reno!" Atlas snapped back.

Zoran pushed between them. "How about? You both shut up? Zoran then snickered at Atlas. "Those shoes are so clashy...who's teaching you how to be a girl?"

"Clashy? Can't you read the Geranimal labels? That top is totally off those pants of yours." Atlas snorted back.

It took a half an hour for the police to finish their search and good thing they didn't scan the ceiling. Once they were gone and everyone waited a few more minutes to make sure they were gone, Atlas helped Astro out of the vent and onto the floor...

"They don't think? They can't really believe? Do they think I did that?" Astro asked.

Atlas snorted. "Jeeyeah?...Especially when they found a red moon boot in the wreckage?"

Astro threw his arms around in a panic..."I couldn't have done it! I was out getting groceries! They just have to look at the store camera!"

Atlas sighed..."Oh really? And I suppose you just so happened to be shopping at the Circle K on Ino-chan and 75th street?"

Astro froze...

"Burnt to the ground." Atlas replied. "How convenient. And your best friend here." Atlas pointed at Reno. "Just happened to tell the cops that you hadn't been here since midnight. Way to go there dumb ass."

Reno jumped, Atlas threw his hands up and Ken, Abercrombie and Alejio sat on the angry teen till he calmed down...

Astro gave Atlas a rude slap off the head. "Stop being a bastard?! What are we going to do now? I can't help you clear your name and now I gotta avoid getting caught too."

Zoran cocked her head. "Big brother? Why don't you just turn yourself in? I'm sure you'll be cleared."

"That's exactly what Doctor Gel wants." Astro yelped. "With me in jail, no one can help Atlas and now he's like public terror number one on everyone's list! I gotta stay free to help him clear his name."

Astro flopped onto the couch..."Ugh! Why can't I have an easy weekend?"

Zoran looked at Atlas then at Astro..."Seems like the only answer to the problem is to turn big brother? Into big sister."

Astro snickered. "Are you huffing bad air conditioning chemicals?"

Zoran replied. "What? How else will you be able to go around without getting caught?"

"No!" Astro snapped. "I'm not dressing up as a girl! Uh uh...no way!"

Ken begged. "But Astro...as stupid as it sounds? Between you and Atlas it's the only way you guys can find who's doing this?"

"We already know who's doing it. It's getting close to him that's a problem. Which sad to say as disgraceful as this is?" Atlas said as he played with his dress. "It's probably be the best way to draw Gel, Skunk and their robot out."

"I'm NOT dressing up as a girl!" Astro snapped.

Atlas shook his head. "Then...then I'll go to Towashi and say I derailed the train and tried to frame you."

Astro jumped up and snatched Atlas by the hand..."No you won't!"

"Then if you think I'm innocent?" Atlas asked. "Then help me...otherwise I'll die before they put one hand on you."

The room went silent for a moment...

"You? You...care about me?" Astro asked.

"Oh damn it! How many times do I have to say yes?!" Atlas snapped back. "I never wanted to hurt you. I never wanted to destroy you...probably couldn't do that in a million years...I just wanted you to stop being such a naive little bitch ok? And yes...I am lonely with no friends, Bender's only a fair weather one at best."

Atlas rubbed Astro's shoulders. "Help me will you? But don't take this as an endorsement that I'll ever be like you! Ugh...you make me puke some times you're so soupy."

Astro looked at Zoran..."Don't suppose you have any ideas for a dress?"

Zoran snickered evilly. "Just panties on you would be fruity enough big brother."

 **8:30am Sunday**

 **Reno's apartment**

Atlas snickered as he leaned over..."You're adorable."

"SLAP!"..."Screw you!" Astro snapped. "If anyone gets pictures of this? They better hope their house is bolted to the ground well enough."

Ken, Abercrombie and Alejio stood together in deep gazes...

"Which one would you want first?" Alejio asked the other two.

"Astro." Ken replied.

"Yup." Abercrombie joined in. "Deffinately Astro. His ass is better shaped."

"You guys are sick!" Astro snorted. "Ken! I'm telling your Mom about this!"

"Oh come on Astro." Ken replied. "It's just till you guys nail those jerks. We won't tell anyone, we promise. We're just pulling your chain."

Astro stood bemoaning over his dress. It was one of his little sisters old one's given to her by Miss Yuko, the secretary...which Astro was suddenly wondering if she wasn't a perv in her own right...

"Do I have to wear panties? Sheesh this stupid dress won't cover them at all." Astro groaned.

"Good think you're slick huh?" Atlas snickered. "People would sure get a good bulge shot."

Astro wore a light brown girls wig which touched his shoulders, a red dress with puffy short length sleeves, the annoyingly short skirt, long knee socks and blue girl's shoes...which accented how small his feet were...

"I'll never get over how messed up your feet are to your body." Reno said as he scratched his hair.

"Any bigger and the rocket retraction system might bind up on me." Astro replied as he turned to Atlas. "So where do we start looking?"

"Well first thing we need to do is find Bender." Atlas replied. "We're gonna need that muscle car of his."

 **8:57am Sunday**

 **Street outside the Ministry of Science**

Getting out of the Ministry was a torturous crawl even on a Sunday. Atlas looked back at the two DELTA SWAT robots flanking the front door and blew a sigh of relief..."We handled that exit ok."

Astro replied. "Can we stop holding hands now?"

"I thought we were going to pass off as school friends?" Atlas replied. "This is just a friendship gesture thing ok? Chill out."

Astro couldn't help looking around, worried they'd be identified by someone. Atlas tapped him in the shoulder...

"I would guess you watch movies?" Atlas asked.

"Yeah." Astro replied.

"Ever watch an old movie called "Some like it hot?"

Astro thought..."Oh yeah...Had Tony Curtis and Marilyn Monroe?"

"The two con artists dressed like women?" Atlas giggled. "Man they were butt ugly."

Astro laughed..."You're not equating us to those are you?!"

Atlas joked. "Well...I think we're dead sexy hawt."

"Stop it!" Astro said slapping Atlas off the shoulder. "You cracking jokes? So unlike you...you're always dead serious like a wood plank."

"I have my moments." Atlas replied. "And by good timing? Look who showed up?"

Astro saw a blue Dodge Charger sitting at a Circle K store with Hermes Conrad and Bender munching food. Atlas slowly walked Astro over and waved..."Hey guys."

Bender jumped from the hood of the car..."Where the hell did you go? We've been bumming the streets all night for you. The whole city's crawling with cops, every road is closed and you..."

Bender looked at Astro and frowned. "All this chaos and you go lookin for a piece of tail? I should slap the chrome off your butt you little shit!"

Astro looked at Atlas then walked up to Bender like an aroused girl and gave him a doe eyed face... "Hi...you sure are a strong bot."

"Ditch it you little floozy!" Bender snorted.

Astro wrapped his arms around Bender's arm and sighed. "Oh come on...there's a lot of me to go around."

Atlas slapped his forehead. "Astro? Do you mind the theatrics? I'm getting sick."

Bender took one look at Astro, pulled his wig off and shook a finger at him. "What the hell! You've brought the enemy! We're doomed!"

"Oh cut the melodramatic dump Bender?" Atlas snorted. "Astro's in the same boat as me so lay off."

Astro snorted. "If I could? I'd burn this stupid dress."

Hermes leaned against the car..."Now let me guess? You're being blamed for the train derailment this morning I would suppose?"

Astro looked in the Charger..."Uh huh...mmmmmm...this car is sweeeeeet. Is this yours Bender?"

"Yup. My sweet Clementine. If she had a voice system? I'd live in her." Bender replied.

"I bet he would." Atlas snorted as he climbed in the back. "Look you guys? We don't have all day? We need to find Skunk and the man I know he's hanging with before they really do a lot of damage."

Bender and Hermes climbed in the front seats. "That's the problem. We can't get out of the city." Hermes said. "And do you still have those papers?"

Atlas patted his chest..."Yup. And I don't think we have to leave the city if I know old Kusai enough. One? He loves cash. Two? He loves Cuban cigars...high grade Cuban cigars. He's in the finance district."

"Ok then." Bender snorted as he reached into his glove compartment and offered Hermes a 45 caliber pistol then took one for himself. Which Atlas quickly grabbed..."You must be snorting Gas-o-haul...There is another robot in the mix here and I don't think your little bullets are gonna work?"

Astro cocked his head. "You think he copied your design?"

"Copied?" Atlas snorted. "Oh please...he probably improved on it."

Astro giggled..."Gave it a nicer butt?"

Atlas cocked his head and pursed his lips. "What...is wrong with you?"

"Just saying." Astro said giggling.

"If Gel improved on my design Astro? Your life won't be worth squat." Atlas huffed. "But then again? "Ashley" might do better."

Astro waved his arms. "Oh no! Oh hell no no no I won't!"

"I'm not asking you to completely embarrass yourself!" Atlas huffed. "You'd be close enough to get in the first shot and with the amount of EMP you can generate? I should know...their robot won't get a finger tip on you."

"That's IF he didn't build it ten feet tall!" Astro huffed back. "And what are you going to do?"

"I'm going to get Skunk and Gel. Then again...you might attract them better than me." Atlas said rubbing his chin.

"YOU'RE SICK!" Astro snapped.

"I'm taking the more dangerous assignment than you so shut that yap." Atlas snorted. "Are you going to help or what?"

"Not by choice." Astro groaned. "After this? You and I are gonna have it out. I'll ask Miss Myoki at my school to let us have the gym all to ourselves and then? I'm gonna put your mouth where your feet are...deal?"

Atlas took Astros hand and shook. "You better get used to the taste of your boots down your throat you soupy weasel."

 **End of part 10**


	11. Chapter 11

**_A Week-Reno-End_**

A Reno/Astro fan fiction

Preface: Astro's first meeting with Atlas becomes a weekend with Reno.

 **Part 11**

 **The Financial district**

9:43am Sunday

Astro watched as the Charger drove off and stood brooding against a light pole..."Why do I always get myself in crazy situations? I'm helping Atlas...I bet most people will think I'm pretty stupid..."

Astro looked down at his dress. "Especially this stupid." He clicked on his internal radio. "So what are you doing?" Astro asked Atlas.

"I'm scanning." Atlas replied. "Seeing if I can detect a strong robot. Since it's Sunday and most people are going to be home...should be easy to spot one bot."

Astro rounded a corner and walked slowly down a side street. "Any preferences as to a kind of building style Skunk and Gel might be using?"

"One that's easily to defend." Atlas replied. No more than two stories, spacious with few entry points."

"No police around here...that's curious. I thought the whole city would be crawling with law enforcement?" Astro said as he stopped to glare through a fence at a suspect building.

"Right now they're probably more worried about blocking place of entry/escape. I just saw a pair of F-18's from the SDF at high altitude so they have the sky covered."

Astro looked around before picking the lock on the gate and slowly walking into the enclosed compound he was interested in. "I found a building I'm gonna take a quick look at."

"Same here." Atlas replied. "If I can get Bender off his butt."

"Giggles"..."Just hit on him?" Astro replied giggling.

"You know? For an ignorant little cur at times? You can be like-able." Atlas said. "So why are you such a toy for these humans? Can't you have just a smidge of mistrust?"

Astro replied. "You're determined to convert me aren't you?"

"Just giving friendly advice." Atlas said snorting.

Astro slowly walked around the outside of the two story building and peaked through the windows. "This is probably a construction company or a planning company...doesn't look like anyone's around..."

The sudden and shocking feeling of a hand slapping against his lips told Astro different! "Oh shit!" He yelped as he fought the urge to turn and punch whoever this was into orbit! "Someone's grabbing me!"

"Where are you?!" Atlas snapped back.

"Don't bother! If you come here too fast you might screw everything up!" Astro replied as he chose to gave in and let whoever it was drag him around. The first look he got of his assailant made him huff..."Well he's not Gel or Skunk that's for sure." Astro snorted. "Huh? Oh just great!"

"What?" Atlas replied.

"He's trying to feel me up...he's a fricken pervert!" Astro snapped as the man kicked open a door and tossed him to the floor!

"What the hell is going on?!" Atlas snapped in the radio.

"I think he's planning to rape me." Astro replied.

"Well gee...you sound threatened." Atlas snorted.

"Oh shut the hell up stupid?!" Astro snapped back. "I wonder if the shock is going to give this dirt bag a heart attack?"

The man was about to climb over Astro when he was pulled into the air and thrown out of a window with a crash! Astro rolled himself into a ball and stayed still until a hand showed itself next to his face...

"You're not harmed are you?" A voice asked calmly.

Astro turned his head to see a robot boy looking back at him. "Did he hurt you?" The boy bot asked again.

"No..." Astro replied timidly as he stuck a hand out. "Thank you...who ever you are?"

The boy bot lifted Astro to his feet. "My name's Mordrid...and you are?"

Astro hesitated for a moment...

"And you are?" Mordrid asked again.

"Um..." Astro replied playing with his lips. "I'm Ashley...Ashley Tuttle from America. I'm an exchange student."

Mordrid smiled back. "Even and exchange student should have some common sense you know. Even in Japan there's wicked people looking to take advantage of an opportunity. I think you need a little watching over."

Astro didn't dare trip his radio not knowing who this other boy was. He was armored by the look of his body design and he wasn't much taller than Astro or Atlas by two or three inches. He was colored in two shades of blue from head to toe with head bangs like Astro's only they were strait up and not cocked out at slants like his...

Mordrid gave Astro a curious gaze..."You're a robot?"

"Yes." Astro replied. "Wasn't it obvious?"

"I wasn't expecting a girl bot. They make so few that are young looking. So why were you walking around here?" Mordrid asked.

"I have a curiosity flaw." Astro replied. "I get easily curious about things I see. This is my first time in Japan so..."

Mordrid continued to ice gaze Astro intently...

"Look...if...you're not going to tell the police or someone on me for tresspassing? I'll just go back to my host family and..."

"You don't have to be so hasty?" Mordrid said as he slowly grabbed Astro's hand. "I'm not one to bite...really."

Astro played with his lips..."It's just that...well...you kinda creep me a little."

"I'm sorry if I give that impression." Mordrid replied. "See...I haven't been too long activated myself and I'm still figuring things about." Astro allowed Mordrid to tow him around. "So...what do you think about humans?"

"They're nice." Astro replied as Ashley. "At least my family of humans in America are nice to me and the Japanese are so interesting."

"What about between our kind and them? Do you believe we exist to serve them?" Mordrid asked.

"Well...yes." Astro replied. "That's why we're built. But I thought here in Japan...robots had rights?"

Mordrid replied. "We do have rights...but we also have responsibilities. No robot should be allowed to violate our fragile relationship. Certainly not one's who's whole reason for being is to cook up a war between humans and robots...or try to make excuses for such robots."

Astro turned his head and frowned..."I thought so." He then gripped Mordrid's hand a little tighter. "Are you talking about this Atlas I've heard about since arriving?"

"Yes...and his accomplace. He's called "Astro" and dares to try and protect this other troublemaker; which is why they both need to go."

Astro stopped..."Are you sure about Astro? In America we've heard so many wonderful things about him. If he's trying to help Atlas, shouldn't there be some reason?"

"There are no reasons when you're trying to undermine the peace between robots and humans. Atlas is a dangerous threat to good order and Astro is weak minded, that's what my father explained to me. Robots have their place and humans have theirs and we must understand those places and stay in them for our common good." Mordrid started walking again when Astro got in front of him again...

"Tell me you're not the one who sank that ship in the harbor?" Astro begged.

"Sacrifices to maintain order sometimes are required." Mordrid replied coldly.

Astro gasped..."You did! You killed ten humans on that ship, do you know that?!"

"As I said before..." Mordrid replied. "Sacrifices are sometimes un-avoidable."

Astro threw his hands off..."I can find my own way home...thank you...you're so deceived."

Mordrid snatched Astro by the wrist. "You're not going anywhere..."

"Let GO of me!" Astro yelped.

Mordrid slammed him hard into a wall and stuck a surge cannon arm into his face..."Please don't let me kill you?" Mordrid warned. "You're very nice and I don't want to turn you into a pile of scrap."

Astro backed off and slapped Mordrid in the face! "BASTARD!"

Mordrid then wrapped his hands around Astro's neck and shocked him unconscious with a surge of electricity...

 **The Financial district**

10:20 am Sunday

Atlas stopped walking and stood stomping a foot as the Charger came up behind him. "Ugh! Where is he that stupid little cuss?"

Hermes leaned out of the car window. "Any sign of him?"

"No." Atlas snorted back. "He won't even pick up my broadband calls...some help..."

Bender snickered from his side of the car..."Maybe he found a boyfriend prettier than you?"

"Oh shove it up your shiny stupid ass you sicko soup can!" Atlas snapped. "I'm taking this girlish stuff off...screw the cops if they see me."

"No!" Hermes replied. "What if Astro's in some kind of trouble? How you gonna help him if you're roasting in the whos gow?"

Atlas slackened. "Why the hell am I even working with that puss bot? I know I told him I'm all alone and everything but...ugh...I must be virus infected or something's broken, I shouldn't have any respect for him let alone even care about him...except the fact that's he a robot and I swore never to leave any robot in the hands of any filthy human...especially that bastard Skunk."

Atlas jumped into the car..."I got an idea...just go where I tell you."

"You realize that gas isn't cheep?" Bender snorted.

"Just go already!" Atlas huffed back. "Sheesh do you ever shut your stupid mouth Bender?"

 **The Financial district**

10:46 am Sunday

Astro awoke in a white walled room. He shot up to sit and slapped his hands against his head as the rush of weakness washed over him...

"Ugh...That's what I get for trying to be patient." He thought to himself. He did a quick check over of his body and sighed with relief...Mordrid didn't get the idea to do a body check...

"You're awake." Came a voice from across the room. Sitting in a chair, Skunk sat with a cigar in his hand. "You realize you're not going anywhere don't you?"

Astro frowned and thought to himself. "No duh you jerk."

Astro stomped a foot. "Where's Mordrid! I want to give that dumb boy a piece of my bolts! How dare you kidnap me!"

"Trust me young lady." Skunk said waving a hand. "It's only temporary until we see if you're worth a ransom or worth spare parts."

Astro wisely sat back on the bed. "I don't want to speak to that creep. Tell him that."

"I don't think he'll listen." Skunk replied. "He likes you."

"Well I don't like him!" Astro yelped.

Skunk stood up and waved his cigar around. "I'll just leave you two alone for a while so you can work it out. But please don't waste my whole day young lady? I have other things for him to do."

Skunk walked out and closed the door behind him, leaving Astro to take a big risk...

"Atlas? Atlas?" Astro said quietly as he ran his radio through some channels. "Come on Atlas, please tell me you're listening?"

When he didn't reply...Astro tried another channel..."Daichi? Daichi can you hear me?"

"Astro?" Daichi replied. "What the hell is going on? Why are the police looking for you? Did you really cause that train accident?"

"What do you think?" Astro replied.

"Where are you?" Daichi asked.

" I don't know but if you catch this on your cell phone? You need to come down to the financial district and find Atlas. He's running around with another robot named Bender..." Astro cut the radio off as Mordrid came walking through the door.

"I'm not talking to you." Astro huffed.

Mordrid gestured with his hands..."I'm sorry I had to be so rough..."

"Do you think I care?" Atlas snapped back as Ashley. "You killed humans! Who cares what your excuses are! You killed humans and then you dare to frame up Astro of all the robots?!"

Mordrid got in Astro's face..."You...are in no position to say otherwise? I might remind you?"

"I'm certainly in a position to tell you where to go though." Astro snapped. "I hope you don't think you'll somehow get me to fall in love with you because it won't happen."

Mordrid pulled a small box from behind his back and places it on a small table next to the bed. "Perhaps if you spend some time in serious thought about the future of our kind? You may yet see things differently.

 **End of part 11**


End file.
